freeze
verb
uk/friːz/ usfroze | frozen [ T ] ECONOMICS, FINANCE
to fix prices, income levels, interest rates, etc. at a particular level and not allow any increases:
freeze wages/rates/taxes Mortgage lenders have agreed to freeze adjustable interest rates for some of the state's highest-risk borrowers.
[ T ] LAW, BANKING
if a government or court freezes someone's bank account, money, assets etc. it legally prevents them from using any of it:
Some of the prisoners' assets were frozen by order of the government.
Officials said they will freeze 120 local bank accounts and place racketeering liens on numerous homes and businesses.
[ I ] IT
if a computer freezes or a computer screen is frozen, it suddenly stops working and the screen will not change even when you use the keyboard or mouse:
If your computer freezes, you may have to shut it down manually by holding the power button for several seconds.
[ T ]
to officially stop an activity or process for a period of time:
freeze production/sales/recruitment The world's biggest automaker announced that it will temporarily freeze production due to low demand.
Phrasal verb
freeze sb out
freeze
noun [ C ]
uk/friːz/ us ECONOMICS
a decision to fix prices, income levels, interest rates, etc. at a particular level and not allow any increases:
a pay/price/interest rate/tax freeze To deal with the pension crisis, a two-year salary freeze has been imposed on the city's 11,000 employees.
an official decision to stop an activity from continuing for a period of time:
They promised to halve the deficit through a domestic spending freeze and improving government efficiency.
The temporary nuclear freeze has not impressed Washington hardliners.
a hiring/recruitment freeze Hiring freezes and layoffs are likely to continue into the new year.
a freeze on sth The organization was set up to campaign for a freeze on the growing of GM crops and animals.
LAW
an official order, for example, from a judge or government, that prevents money or property from being used or moved:
impose/put/place a freeze on sth A High Court judge placed a freeze on her worldwide assets.
See also
credit freeze