Dictionary

paralyze en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɛɹəlaɪz/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈpæɹəˌlaɪz/ (General-American) without the Mary–marry–merry merger
• /ˈpæɹəlaɪz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈpɛɹəˌlaɪz/ General American, Canada, Mary–marry–merry merger
• /ˈpæɹəlɑez/ (Australia)
• [ˈpɛɹəlɑez] (New-Zealand)
• audio non-native

Etymology

Partly a borrowing from French. Probably partly either (i) formed within English, by derivation. Or partly (ii) a borrowing from French, combined with an English element. Etymons: Middle English paralysie, -ize suffix; French paralyser.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To afflict with paralysis.
2. (transitive) To render unable to move; to immobilize.
   • So I stood alone in horror / Paralyzed with fear and dread / When a voice dead and inhuman / Whispered to me "go, you fool, Warren's dead!" 2006, The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, “Harley Got Devoured by the Undead”, in An Even Scarier Solstice:
3. (transitive) To render unable to function properly.
   • The transport strike paralyzed the city.

Forms

Deriveds

paralyzation · paralyzer

Translations (35)

ro paraliza (to afflict with paralysis) · gl paralizar (to afflict with paralysis) · pl sparaliżować (to afflict with paralysis) · cs paralyzovat (to afflict with paralysis) · it paralizzare (to afflict with paralysis) · mi pararaiha (to afflict with paralysis) · cs ochromit (to afflict with paralysis) · oc paralisar (to afflict with paralysis) · az iflic etmək (to afflict with paralysis) · bg парализи́рам (to afflict with paralysis) · uk паралізува́ти (to afflict with paralysis) · fi halvaannuttaa (to afflict with paralysis) · es paralizar (to afflict with paralysis) · pl paraliżować (to afflict with paralysis) · ca paralitzar (to afflict with paralysis) · el παραλύω (to afflict with paralysis) · mn ᠰᠠ ᠳᠠᠭᠠᠷᠢᠬᠤ (to afflict with paralysis) · gl entanguiñar (to afflict with paralysis) · be паралізава́ць (to afflict with paralysis) · nl verlammen (to afflict with paralysis) · cmn 麻痺 /麻痹 (to afflict with paralysis) · fr paralyser (to afflict with paralysis) · eo paralizi (to afflict with paralysis) · mi pararūtiki (to afflict with paralysis) · sv förlama (to afflict with paralysis) · mn саа дайрах (to afflict with paralysis) · he שִׁיתֵּק (to afflict with paralysis) · ja 麻痺する (to afflict with paralysis) · pt paralisar (to afflict with paralysis) · ru парализова́ть (to afflict with paralysis) · hu megbénít (to afflict with paralysis) · de paralysieren (to afflict with paralysis) · de lähmen (to afflict with paralysis) · mi mae (to afflict with paralysis) · ar أَشَلَّ (to afflict with paralysis)