freeze up
Third Person
freezes up
Present Participle
freezing up
Past Tense
froze up
Past Participle
frozen up
1
to become solid or immobile due to cold temperatures, often leading to a lack of functionality
- The car's engine froze up in the bitter winter cold, and it wouldn't start.
- The pipes in the house froze up during the deep freeze, causing a plumbing disaster.
- His fingers froze up from the intense cold, making it difficult to grip anything.
- The garden hose froze up overnight, making it impossible to water the plants until it thawed.
- In regions with harsh winters, door locks can sometimes freeze up, making it challenging to enter or exit buildings.
2
to become mentally immobilized or unable to function effectively due to fear, anxiety, or nervousness
- She froze up when she had to speak in front of the large audience.
- In the face of danger, he froze up and couldn't react.
- During the job interview, he froze up and struggled to answer the simplest questions.
- When faced with a sudden emergency, some people tend to freeze up, while others take action.
- She tends to freeze up in social situations, making it challenging to start conversations.
3
to stop functioning due to issues such as technical glitches or mental blocks
- The computer screen froze up, and it had to be restarted.
- When the exam began, her mind froze up, and she couldn't recall the answers.
- As he approached the stage, his voice froze up, and he couldn't deliver his speech.
- In the middle of the critical business meeting, the projector froze up, causing an awkward pause.