congelar

Senses

1. 1.

   to freeze (make solid by cold)

   to convert liquid or food to a frozen state

2. 2.

   to freeze (suspend; halt)

   to stop or suspend an action, process, or account temporarily

3. 3.

   to chill (emotionally)

   to make someone feel cold or unwelcome; to dampen enthusiasm

Examples

• "Voy a congelar la sopa en el congelador."

  I'm going to freeze the soup in the freezer.

• "El gobierno congeló los salarios durante la crisis."

  The government froze salaries during the crisis.

• "Su comentario congeló la conversación."

  His comment froze the conversation (killed the mood).

Usage

Common regular -ar verb. In cooking, used frequently with food and beverages. In business/economics, often appears with salarios (salaries), cuentas (accounts), and precios (prices). The figurative sense of 'dampening spirits' is less formal and more colloquial.