paralisar-se
[pa.ra.li.ˈzaɾ.sə]
verb
to become paralyzed; to freeze; to be immobilized
1. to lose the ability to move or function; to become physically or mentally immobilized
The patient began to paralyze himself with fear.
O paciente começou a paralisar-se de medo.
2. to stop functioning or moving; to come to a standstill
The city paralyzed itself during the strike.
A cidade paralisou-se durante a greve.
3. to become emotionally or psychologically frozen or unable to act
She paralyzed herself with indecision.
Ela paralisou-se com a indecisão.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'paralisar-se' is frequently used both literally (medical context) and metaphorically (social, economic, or emotional contexts). The reflexive form emphasizes the involuntary or self-induced nature of the paralysis. It's common in news media describing strikes, protests, or infrastructure shutdowns ('a greve paralisou-se em várias cidades'). The word carries emotional weight when describing psychological states of fear or indecision.
NYC Slang
freeze up; get stuck; lock up
Related Idioms & Phrases
paralisar-se de medo (to be paralyzed with fear)
paralisar-se de frio (to freeze up from cold)
paralisar-se diante de (to become paralyzed in front of/before)
a cidade paralisou-se (the city came to a halt)
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