freeze

• Nom désignant le processus de congélation ou l'état de grand froid où l'eau se transforme en glace.

A noun referring to the act or process of freezing, or a state of extreme cold causing water to turn into ice.

1. Period of freezing weatherA2formal

   A period of very cold weather when water turns to ice.

   période de gel

   • The freeze last winter damaged many crops.
   • We had a hard freeze overnight.
   • The pipes burst during the freeze.

   Synonymescold snapcold spellfrost

   Antonymesthaw

2. Sudden stop or haltB1informal

   An act of stopping suddenly and completely, often due to fear or surprise.

   Arrêt brusque

   • The deer did a freeze when it saw the headlights.
   • She went into a freeze during the performance.
   • The audience freeze lasted for several seconds.

   Synonymeshaltimmobilityparalysisstandstillstopstoppage

3. Financial or economic restrictionC1formalbusiness

   A restriction on spending or financial activity.

   gel (financier/économique)

   • The government imposed a wage freeze.
   • There was a hiring freeze at the company.
   • The budget freeze affected all departments.

   Synonymesblockcapceilingembargohaltmoratoriumrestraintsuspension

• Verbe désignant le processus de passage à l'état solide sous l'effet d'un froid intense, ou l'arrêt soudain d'un mouvement ou d'une activité.

A verb used to indicate the process of becoming solid due to extreme cold or stopping movement suddenly.

verbe irrégulier

1. Turn into iceA2formal

   To change from liquid to solid due to extreme cold.

   geler

   • The lake froze overnight during winter.
   • Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius.
   • The pipes froze because of the cold weather.

   Synonymescongealglaciatehardenicesolidify

   Antonymesmelt

2. Stop moving suddenlyB1informal

   To become suddenly still or unable to move, often from fear or surprise.

   Se figer (sur place)

   • She froze in terror when she saw the bear.
   • He froze on stage during his speech.
   • The children froze when they heard the noise.

   Synonymeshaltstand stillstop dead

3. Preserve by freezingB1formal

   To preserve food by storing it at very low temperatures.

   congeler

   • We freeze vegetables from our garden for winter.
   • She froze the leftovers in the freezer.
   • They freeze fish immediately after catching it.

   Synonymesdeep-freezeicequick-freeze

4. Stop operation or activityB2formal

   To halt or suspend something temporarily.

   Geler (suspendre)

   • The bank froze his account due to suspicious activity.
   • The government froze all payments during the crisis.
   • They froze the project until funding was secured.

   Synonymesarrestceasehaltpausestopsuspend

   Antonymescontinueproceedresumeunfreeze

Variantes phrasalfreeze downfreeze offfreeze out