paralyze

• paralyse (mostly British)

From French paralyser.

• IPA^(key): /ˈparəlʌɪz/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

paralyze (third-person singular simple present paralyzes, present participle paralyzing, simple past and past participle paralyzed)

1. (transitive) To afflict with paralysis.
2. (transitive) To render unable to move; to immobilize.
   • 2006, The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, “Harley Got Devoured by the Undead”, in An Even Scarier Solstice:

     So I stood alone in horror / Paralyzed with fear and dread / When a voice dead and inhuman / Whispered to me "go, you fool, Warren's dead!"

3. (transitive) To render unable to function properly.

   The transport strike paralyzed the city.