paralyze

/'pærəlaiz/ Cách viết khác : (paralyze) /'pærəlaiz/

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Word: Paralyze

Part of Speech: Verb

Basic Definition: To "paralyze" means to make someone or something unable to move or function. This can happen physically, like when a person’s body is affected by an illness or injury, or it can refer to a situation where someone feels so scared or overwhelmed that they cannot act or make decisions.

Usage Instructions:

• "Paralyze" is usually used with a subject that is causing the paralysis (like fear, poison, or rules) and an object that is being paralyzed (like a person or a process).

Examples:

1. Physical Paralysis: "The snake's poison can paralyze its prey."
2. Emotional Paralysis: "She was paralyzed by fear when she saw the spider."
3. Operational Paralysis: "The complicated rules and regulations paralyze the entire project, making it hard to move forward."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "paralyze" can also refer to a situation where a system or process is stopped or made ineffective. For example, bureaucracies can sometimes slow down or stop operations because of excessive rules, which can be described as paralyzing.

Word Variants:

• Paralyzed (adjective): Describes someone or something that has been made unable to move or function. Example: "He felt paralyzed by doubt."
• Paralyzing (adjective): Describes something that causes paralysis. Example: "The paralyzing fear kept her from speaking."

Different Meanings:

1. Physical Meaning: To make unable to move (e.g., a medical condition).
2. Figurative Meaning: To make unable to act or make decisions (e.g., fear, stress, bureaucracy).

Synonyms:

• Disable
• Immobile
• Hinder
• Stun
• Incapacitate

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While there are no direct idioms or phrasal verbs that include "paralyze," you might encounter phrases like: - "Paralyzed with fear": This means someone is so afraid that they cannot move or act. - "Paralyze the situation": This refers to making a situation so complicated that no progress can be made.

In Summary:

"Paralyze" is a verb that means to make someone or something unable to move or act. It can be used in both physical and emotional contexts.

Academic

Verb

1. cause to be paralyzed and immobile
   • The poison paralyzed him
   • Fear paralyzed her
2. make powerless and unable to function
   • The bureaucracy paralyzes the entire operation

Synonyms

• paralyse