# froze

/ˈfɹoʊz/ (US) · /fɹˈəʊz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/froze
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. turned to ice

verb · CEFR A2

the past tense of 'freeze' used when water or liquid turned into ice because of the cold.

For teachers: the simple past of 'freeze', denoting the phase transition from liquid to solid due to temperature drop.

- The lake froze completely during the coldest week of January.
- The pipes froze overnight when the heating system failed, resulting in significant water damage once the temperature rose again.

### 2. stopped moving

verb · CEFR B1

stopped moving suddenly because of fear, surprise, or to stay hidden.

For teachers: the simple past of 'freeze', indicating a sudden cessation of movement or speech, typically triggered by a strong emotion or a need for stealth.

- The deer froze for a second when it heard the branch snap.
- The witness froze when the prosecutor presented the photograph, unable to find the words to explain the discrepancy in her earlier statement.

### 3. computer stopped working

verb · CEFR B1

when a computer or phone screen stopped responding to your touch or typing.

For teachers: the simple past of 'freeze', used when a digital interface or system became unresponsive to user input.

- My laptop froze right before I could save the document.
- The entire network froze during the software update, forcing the IT department to perform a manual reboot of the primary servers.

## Examples

- The lake froze solid during the coldest week of winter.
- When the alarm went off, the intruder froze in place, hoping the shadows would hide him.
- The pipes froze overnight because the heating system failed, leading to a significant flood once the ice began to thaw the following afternoon.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.