Freeze means to turn from liquid into solid ice, or to become so cold that this happens. Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). When you put a glass of water in the freezer, it freezes into ice. In winter, puddles freeze overnight when temperatures drop below freezing.

The word also means to stop moving completely, like someone caught doing something they shouldn't. If you're sneaking a cookie before dinner and hear footsteps, you might freeze in place, hoping not to be noticed. In the game freeze tag, players must freeze when tagged until someone unfreezes them.

You can freeze in fear or surprise too. When a rabbit spots a fox, it might freeze instead of running. A nervous student might freeze during a presentation, temporarily unable to remember what to say next.

Freeze can mean preserving food by making it extremely cold. People freeze vegetables, meat, and leftovers to keep them fresh for months. Your family might freeze batches of soup or cookie dough.

In finance, a freeze means stopping something from changing. A company might announce a hiring freeze, meaning they won't hire new employees for a while. When parents freeze your allowance, they keep it at the same amount instead of raising it.