unfreeze
|un-freeze|
/ʌnˈfriːz/
reverse a freeze / remove a freeze
Etymology
'unfreeze' originates from Modern English by combining the prefix 'un-' (a negation or reversal) with the verb 'freeze' (Old English 'frēosan').
'freeze' comes from Old English 'frēosan' (to freeze); the productive Modern English prefix 'un-' was attached to form 'unfreeze' to mean 'reverse freezing' or 'remove a freeze'.
Initially it meant 'to reverse the physical state of being frozen (make no longer frozen)', and over time it has broadened to include figurative uses such as lifting restrictions or resuming suspended processes.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or instance of removing a freeze; an instance in which a freeze is lifted.
The unfreeze of budget approvals allowed new projects to start.
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Verb 1
to cause something that is physically frozen (ice, food, etc.) to become no longer frozen; to thaw or defrost.
Please unfreeze the meat before cooking it.
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Verb 2
to remove a restriction that had been placed on something (funds, wages, personnel moves, hiring, etc.), allowing normal activity to resume.
The government decided to unfreeze the accounts after the investigation cleared the company.
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Last updated: 2025/12/11 20:26