verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
sēz′ ŭp′
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈsiːz ˌʌp/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, General-American, Scotland:/ˈsiz ˌʌp/
Australian, New-Zealand:/ˈsiːz ˌɐp/
India:/ˈsiːz ˌəp/
1
verb
Meaning 1
To stop functioning; to come to a halt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
Examples
Iceland's foreign currency market has seized up after the three largest banks collapsed.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: freeze, freeze up, grind to a halt
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To stiffen or become tight and difficult to move.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
It was hard to write as my fingers had seized up with the cold weather.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
My car seized up this morning. So I had to catch the bus.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
The term originates c. 1870 referring to a machine which jammed up because of excessive heat or friction; it has been used figuratively since c. 1950.
Across languages
Translations
24 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
lakata toimimasta
— figuratively: to stop functioning; to come to a halt
Finnish:
mennä lukkoon
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
German:
verhärten
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
Italian:
intorpidirsi
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
Russian:
своди́ть
(svodítʹ)
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
Russian:
свести́
(svestí)
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
Spanish:
agarrotarse
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
Turkish:
tutulmak
— of muscles: to stiffen or become tight and difficult to move
Finnish:
lakata toimimasta
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Finnish:
leikata kiinni
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Finnish:
hirttää kiinni
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
French:
se gripper
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
German:
blockieren
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
German:
festfressen
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
German:
verklemmen
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
German:
liegen bleiben
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Italian:
gripparsi
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Spanish:
agarrotarse
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Spanish:
trabarse
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Spanish:
atascarse
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Spanish:
paralizarse
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Spanish:
atrancarse
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Spanish:
frisarse
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
Turkish:
tutukluk yapmak
— of a machine: to stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again
