freeze

/friːz/ verb (froze, frozen)

Definition

› [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.

(Definition of freeze verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)