immobilize
/ɪˈməʊbɪlʌɪz
/(also immobilise)
verb [with object]
1Prevent (something or someone) from moving or operating as normal: the car had been immobilized by a wheel clamp fear immobilized her...
- It's whether you're immobilized by the fear of death.
- It's clearly true that he is virtually immobilized through his fear of coming across poorly in the eyes of strangers.
- The result was a government immobilized by fear of schism and unable to respond to a real opportunity to develop a better relation with the minority community.
Synonyms
put out of action, disable, prevent from moving/working, make inoperative, render inactive, inactivate, deactivate, paralyse, cripple;
bring to a standstill, bring to a halt, halt, stop;
clamp, wheel-clamp
rare disenable
1.1Restrict the movements of (a limb) to allow healing: other children in the ward were immobilized in traction...
- The damaged limbs were often kept immobilized because of the confinement of the iron lung.
- If a body part must be immobilised - to allow skin graft adherence, for example - then the part should be splinted or positioned in an anti-deformity position for the minimum time possible.
- Another barrier surgeons had to overcome was immobilizing a shattered limb while ensuring they had access to the open wound so they could treat infection.
Derivatives
immobilization
/ noun ...- Common complications that may follow fat removal surgery are bleeding, infection and thromboembolism due to prolonged immobilization following the surgery.
- Concentrating all our energies on one physical act, our obsession results in temporary immobilization.
- What this suggests, of course, is the ever-increasing immobilization of a life without options.
Origin
Late 19th century: from French immobiliser, from immobile (see immobile).