deep‑freeze
deep‑freeze — noun
1. an electrically powered container or small room that keeps food at a temperature
an electrically powered container or small room that keeps food at a temperature below zero degrees Celsius, turning it solid so it stays edible for much longer than in a normal fridge.
The Watanabe family stores all their extra vegetables in a large deep‑freeze in the garage.
collocation: stores … in a deep‑freeze
We bought a chest-style deep‑freeze so we could keep enough meat for the whole winter.
compound modifier: chest-style deep‑freeze
A broken deep‑freeze can ruin hundreds of dollars worth of food in just a few hours.
The restaurant kitchen had two large deep‑freezes, one for fish and one for frozen desserts.
- freezer
more general term that includes both standalone units and fridge compartments
- chest freezer
specifically a deep‑freeze that opens from the top like a chest
- refrigerator
a cooling appliance that keeps food cold but not frozen
文法句型
a [adjective] deep‑freeze
[verb] the deep‑freeze
用法筆記
Deep‑freeze, freezer, and upright freezer all describe similar appliances. A deep‑freeze usually refers to a large freezer (often chest-shaped) used for bulk storage, while a standard freezer is often a compartment inside a fridge.
常見錯誤
2. a condition in which something has become completely frozen or has stopped all a
a condition in which something has become completely frozen or has stopped all activity, like a living thing that is preserved at a very low temperature.
The museum keeps the ancient woolly‑mammoth tissue in deep‑freeze for scientific study.
collocation: in deep‑freeze (uncountable)
Sperm and egg samples are often placed in deep‑freeze so they can be used for fertility treatments years later.
passive: be placed in deep‑freeze
After the political scandal, the reform plan was put into deep‑freeze and nobody talked about it.
The seeds of this rare orchid species are stored in deep‑freeze to prevent them from dying out.
- cold storage
similar meaning, often used for food or documents kept at low temperatures
- preservation
broader term; does not specifically mean freezing
文法句型
be in deep‑freeze
come out of deep‑freeze
put [object] into deep‑freeze
用法筆記
This sense can be used literally (a biological or food item stored at freezing temperature) or figuratively (a project, plan, or relationship that has been completely paused). In figurative use it is often preceded by put into.
常見錯誤
deep‑freeze — verb
1. to preserve food by placing it in a freezer so that it becomes extremely cold an
to preserve food by placing it in a freezer so that it becomes extremely cold and solid, allowing it to be used weeks or months later.
Priya deep‑freezes the leftover curry in small containers so she can eat them for lunch at work.
transitive: deep‑freeze + direct object (leftover curry)
The fishermen deep‑freeze their catch immediately on the boat to keep it fresh.
Before moving abroad, the Chen family deep‑froze most of the meat they could not finish.
Gardeners often deep‑freeze extra tomatoes and peppers from the summer harvest for winter soups.
文法句型
deep‑freeze + direct object
用法筆記
The past tense is deep‑froze; the past participle is deep‑frozen. Unlike freeze, which can happen naturally, deep‑freeze always implies intentional human action using a freezer.