deep freeze

¹

noun

1. a state or period of halted or suspended activity or progress:

   High interest rates created a deep freeze in housing construction.

2. suspended animation.

deep-freeze

²

[ deep-freez ]

verb (used with object)

, deep-freezed or deep-froze, deep-freezed or deep-fro·zen, deep-freez·ing.

1. to quick-freeze (food).
2. to store in a frozen frozen state.

Word History and Origins

Origin of deep freeze¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Origin of deep freeze²

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50; deep + freeze

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. put in / into the deep freeze, Informal. to stop or suspend the activity or progress of:

   A series of quarrels put their romance into the deep freeze.