froze up
Stopped from panic
Froze up describes becoming unable to act or speak, typically from fear, anxiety, or sudden pressure.
A performer freezes up on stage, a student freezes up during an exam, software freezes up when overwhelmed.
The image is of becoming as motionless and unresponsive as something literally frozen: I knew the answer but completely froze up when called on.
- solidifyMake or become hard
- stiffenBecome less pliable
- immobilizeStop all motion
- stage frightFear of performing publicly
- performance anxietyFear of public execution
cold feet · icy · cease · blanked · drew a blank · mental block · halt · stop · shut down · locked up · malfunction · hesitation · fear · crash · choke · lockup · seized up · panic
- brokenbroken, busted, broken down, out of order, not working
froze upstayed calm
rose to the occasion · kept a cool head · stepped up · rallied · powered through
froze upopened up
Became emotionally accessible
held forth · flowed · bantered · loosened up · warmed up
froze, freeze, frozen, freezing, freezes, freezer, freezers, antifreeze