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paralyse

Pronunciation: /ˈparəlʌɪz/
(chiefly US also paralyze)
Translate paralyse | into French | into German | into Italian
Definition of paralyse

verb

[with object]
  • cause (a person or part of the body) to become partly or wholly incapable of movement:Mrs Burrows had been paralysed by a stroke
  • make (someone) unable to think or act normally, especially through panic or fear:some people are paralysed by the thought of failure (as adjective paralysing)her paralysing shyness
  • stop (a system, place, or organization) from operating by causing disruption:the regional capital was paralysed by a general strike

Derivatives

paralysingly

adverb

Origin:

early 19th century: from French paralyser, from paralysie 'paralysis'

Spelling help

Remember that paralyse ends with -yse (the spelling paralyze is American).

paralyse in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of paralyse in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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