seize up

英 [siːz ʌp]

美 [siːz ʌp]

（身体某部分因紧张或上了年纪而）发僵，无法动弹; （发动机等）停止运转，发生故障

柯林斯词典

PHRASAL VERB (身体某部分因紧张或上了年纪而)发僵，无法动弹
If a part of your bodyseizes up, it suddenly stops working, because you have strained it or because you are getting old.
1. After two days' exertions, it's the arms and hands that seize up, not the legs...
  两天的辛苦劳累过后，发僵的是胳膊和双手，腿倒没事。
2. We are all born flexible but as we grow older, we tend to seize up a little.
  我们刚生下来时身体都很灵活，但随着年龄的增长，手脚会变得有些僵硬。
PHRASAL VERB (发动机等)停止运转，发生故障
If something such as an engineseizes up, it stops working, because it has not been properly cared for.
1. She put diesel fuel, instead of petrol, into the tank causing the motor to seize up.
  她往油箱里加了些柴油而不是汽油，致使发动机发生故障。