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freezing

adj. · n.
US //ˈfɹizɪŋ// UK //fɹˈiːzɪŋ// freez·ing
  1. 1 very cold (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    extremely cold, often used when you feel very uncomfortable in the winter.

    denoting a temperature that is extremely low or uncomfortable. Often used hyperbolically in informal contexts.

    Example

    Put on your thick coat because it is freezing outside today.

    Example

    The hikers were freezing by the time they reached the summit, as the wind chill had dropped the temperature far below what they expected.
    Pitfall
    It is very freezing today.
    It is absolutely freezing today.

    Freezing is an extreme adjective; use 'absolutely' or 'completely' instead of 'very'.

  2. 2 at zero degrees (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Science

    at the temperature where water turns into ice.

    relating to the temperature at which a liquid, especially water, turns into a solid.

    Example

    The pipes might burst if the weather stays at freezing temperatures all week.

    Example

    The experiment required the solution to be maintained at a constant freezing point to observe the crystal formation.
    • gelid
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  1. 3 turning to ice (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    the process of a liquid becoming a solid because of the cold.

    the physical transition of a substance from a liquid state to a solid state due to the removal of heat.

    Example

    The freezing of the lake happens slowly once the air temperature drops.

    Example

    Rapid freezing is essential in the food industry to prevent large ice crystals from damaging the texture of the produce.
    • solidification
  2. 4 medical numbing (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    the use of medicine to make a part of your body lose feeling so you do not feel pain.

    the administration of a local anaesthetic to induce a loss of sensation in a specific area of the body.

    Example

    The dentist gave me some freezing before he started working on my tooth.

    Example

    The surgeon waited for the freezing to take full effect before beginning the minor procedure on the patient's hand.
Origin

By surface analysis, freeze + -ing.

Idioms1 entry

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