seize up

Idioms and Phrases

Come to a halt, as in The peace talks seized up and were not rescheduled . Originally, from about 1870 on, this term was applied to a machine of some kind that jammed or locked, owing to excessive heat or friction. Its figurative use dates from about 1950.

Example Sentences

Why that should cause the Western financial system to completely seize up I don't think we completely understand.

From The Daily Beast