Frozen means turned into ice or made completely solid by extreme cold. When water gets cold enough (32°F or 0°C), it freezes and becomes ice. A frozen pond is solid enough to skate on. Frozen peas in your freezer are hard as little green marbles until you cook them.

The word also describes being unable to move, like you're locked in place. A student might freeze when called on in class, suddenly unable to remember the answer they knew moments before. A deer caught in headlights freezes, its muscles tensing with fear or surprise. When people say they're frozen with fear, they mean scared so stiff they can't move or think clearly.

You can also freeze things in time by preserving them. Scientists freeze samples to study later. You might freeze leftover soup to eat next week. When you hit pause on a video, you freeze the action at a single moment.

Something frozen can also mean stuck or unable to change. A frozen bank account is one you can't take money from. During winter, northern rivers become frozen, stopping boat traffic until the spring thaw.