Freeze, v. i. [imp.Froze (?); p. p.Frozen (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Freezing.] [OE. fresen, freosen, AS. freósan; akin to D. vriezen, OHG. iosan, G. frieren, Icel. frjsa, Sw. frysa, Dan. fryse, Goth. frius cold, frost, and prob. to L. prurire to itch, E. prurient, cf. L. prna a burning coal, pruina hoarfrost, Skr. prushvā ice, prush to spirt. � 18. Cf. Frost.] 1. To become congealed by cold; to be changed from a liquid to a solid state by the abstraction of heat; to be hardened into ice or a like solid body.
☞ Water freezes at 32° above zero by Fahrenheit's thermometer; mercury freezes at 40° below zero.
2. To become chilled with cold, or as with cold; to suffer loss of animation or life by lack of heat; as, the blood freezes in the veins.
To freeze up (Fig.), to become formal and cold in demeanor.