Dictionary

freezing en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɹiːz.ɪŋ/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

By surface analysis, freeze + -ing.

Meanings

1. (literally) Suffering or causing frost.
2. (broadly, excessive) Very cold.
3. (with above or below) The freezing point of water, zero degrees celsius.
   • Despite this, the average temperature at the surface [of Mars] is 50–60K below freezing, making it hard to imagine that any plants or animals could survive. 1998, Bruce Jakosky, The Search for Life on Other Planets:
4. Aloof, unfriendly.
   • He turned at the door of the inner office and dropped a freezing eye on the offender. "Get those letters copied before you go out to lunch, Binns," he remarked in a sufficiently loud voice. 1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:
   • Jeff unconsciously reached out to touch the pewter casket, but was intercepted by the mother. She whisked his hand away with freezing politeness and said simply, "He's gone now." 1986, Craig G. Harris, “Cut Off from Among Their People”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology, page 64:

Forms

Deriveds

freezingly · nonfreezing · freezingness · subfreezing

Synonyms

ice-cold (very cold) · cutting (very cold) · frigorific · frosty · icy (very cold)

Translations (25)

nl ijzig (very cold) · fr polaire (very cold) · mi mātaratara (very cold) · pl lodowaty (very cold) · su cecep (very cold) · su cambewek (very cold) · fi hyinen (very cold) · cmn 冷死了 (very cold) · de arschkalt (very cold) · izh jääkäs (very cold) · de saukalt (very cold) · de affenkalt (very cold) · eo malvarmega (very cold) · ru холо́дный как лёд (very cold) · es arrecido (very cold) · de frostig (very cold) · ru моро́зный (very cold) · la gelidus (very cold) · fi jäätävä (very cold) · hi अतिशीतल (very cold) · eo frosta (very cold) · es helado (very cold) · ru ледяно́й (very cold) · mi mākinakina (very cold) · nl ijskoud (very cold)

freezing en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɹiːz.ɪŋ/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

By surface analysis, freeze + -ing.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The change in state of a substance from liquid to solid by cooling to a critically low temperature.
   • […] and the sloping collection of fractured rocks—known as talus—that tumbled down from the quartzite bluffs during the repeated freezings and unfreezings of the last Ice Age. 2015, Kevin Revolinski, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison (page 116)
   • The temp in the mountains may/can fall below freezing at this time of year.
   • Hence, there is a succession of thawings and freezings. The former expand, and endeavour to restore the surface of the ground to its natural condition, while the latter contract and harden it. 1829, James Macauley, The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New York:
2. (countable) The action of numbing with anesthetics.

Forms

Deriveds

postfreezing · antifreezing · cryofreezing · refreezing

Relateds

freeze-dry · freezer

Synonyms

frost

Translations (17)

ro solidificare (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · fr anesthésie (the action of numbing with anesthetics) · eu solidotze (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · nl verdoving (the action of numbing with anesthetics) · el πήξη (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · ota طوك (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · ota انجماد (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · nl bevriezing (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · de Gefrieren (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · fr solidification (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · bg замръзване (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · de Erstarren (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · sv stelning (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · sv frysning (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · az donma (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · tr donma (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling) · hu fagyás (the change in state of a substance from liquid to solid on cooling)

freezing en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɹiːz.ɪŋ/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

By surface analysis, freeze + -ing.

Meanings

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present) present participle and gerund of freeze
   form of freeze

Deriveds

freezing point