seize up

Meaning

Verb

• To stop functioning; to come to a halt.
• To stiffen or become tight and difficult to move.
• To stop working suddenly, and become impossible to start again.

Related

Similar words

• freeze, freeze up, grind to a halt

Origin

• 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.