freeze English · revision 7734

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=971|origins=ine-pro *prews-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfɹiːz/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English fresen, [[inh|ang|frēosan|t=to turn to ice]], a strong verb (past tense frēas, past participle froren),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from Proto-Germanic *freusan,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) source also of Dutch [[m|nl|vriezen]], Old Norse frjósa and German [[m|de|frieren|t=to freeze]], and related to Gothic frius, frost.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It goes back to PIE *preus-, to freeze, also to burn,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) seen in Latin [[m|la|pruina|alt=pruīna|t=hoarfrost]], Welsh rhew, frost, and Sanskrit pruṣvā, frost.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) The modern spelling is an alteration of freese, friese.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Used impersonally, ''it freezes'', the air is cold enough for ice to form: 971.^(OED 1989)^(NODE 1998)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of weather, to be cold enough to freeze, and to be converted into ice, are from the 13th century,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and to perish from cold from about 1300.^(Etymonline) The transitive sense, to harden into ice, is from the late 14th century (the 15th in Hoad),^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and figuratively to make hard or unfeeling also from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) To become rigid or motionless is attested by 1720.^(Etymonline) The noun, freezing conditions, is from about 1400.^(Etymonline) To make assets non-transactable is from 1922, and to fix prices or wages at a certain level from 1933 (a noun ''freeze'' of this kind from 1942).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A ''freeze frame'' in film or television is from 1960.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 971 – it freezes.^(OED 1989)

+ * 13th century – to turn to ice.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * c. 1400 – the noun.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1720 – to become motionless.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1922 – to freeze assets.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1960 – freeze frame.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To change from a liquid to a solid, especially into [[ice]], through cold.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To cover, clog or harden with ice.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To preserve food by keeping it at a very low temperature.^(AHD)

+ # To be very cold, or to be harmed or killed by cold.^(AHD)

+ # To become suddenly still or rigid, as from fear.^(Etymonline)

+ # To fix prices, wages or assets at a certain level, or to stop them being used.^(Etymonline)^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A period of very cold weather; a [[frost]].^(AHD)

+ # A restriction keeping something at its present level: ''a wage freeze''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[freezable]]

+ * [[freezingly]]

+ * [[freezability]]

+ * [[adfreeze]]

+ * [[antifreeze]]

+ * [[deep-freeze]]

+ * [[defreeze]]

+ * [[flash-freeze]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[frore]]

+ * [[frost]]

+ * [[frosty]]

+ * [[frozen]]

+ * [[freezer]]

+ * [[froze]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}