paralyse
verb /ˈpærəlaɪz/
/ˈpærəlaɪz/
(British English) (North American English paralyze)
[often passive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they paralyse | /ˈpærəlaɪz/ /ˈpærəlaɪz/ |
| he / she / it paralyses | /ˈpærəlaɪzɪz/ /ˈpærəlaɪzɪz/ |
| past simple paralysed | /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ |
| past participle paralysed | /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ |
| -ing form paralysing | /ˈpærəlaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈpærəlaɪzɪŋ/ |
- paralyse somebody to make somebody unable to feel or move all or part of their body
- The accident left him paralysed from the waist down.
- He was partially paralysed by the fall.
- (figurative) paralysing heat
- (figurative) She stood there, paralysed with fear.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- completely
- totally
- partially
- …
- leave somebody paralysed
- be paralysed from the neck, waist, etc. down
- be paralysed with fear
- …
- paralyse something to prevent something from functioning normally
- The airport is still paralysed by the strike.
Word Originearly 19th cent.: from French paralyser, from paralysie ‘paralysis’.