Froze is the past tense of freeze. It describes what happens when something turned into ice or became extremely cold. Water froze solid in the pipes during last winter's cold snap. The pond froze over, creating a smooth surface for skating.

The word also means stopping completely in place, usually from fear or surprise. A deer froze when it spotted headlights on the road. You might have frozen when you suddenly saw a spider on your desk, unable to move for a moment even though you wanted to.

When someone says a computer froze, they mean it stopped responding to commands, as if it were stuck in ice. You click the mouse but nothing happens because the screen has frozen.

People also say they froze when they mean they became so cold they could barely function. After playing in the snow too long, you might have felt like you froze out there. Or someone might say “I nearly froze!” after waiting outside in winter weather, even though they probably weren't in real danger.