▪ render (someone) unable to think or act normally, especially through panic or fear: "some people are paralyzed by the thought of failure"Similarimmobilizetransfixbecome rooted to the spotfreezestunrender motionlessbecome horror-struck/horror-strickenpetrifyrare:gorgonize
▪ bring (a system, place, or organization) to a standstill by causing disruption or chaos:"the regional capital was paralyzed by a general strike"Similarbring to a standstillimmobilizebring to a (grinding) halthaltstopfreezecrippledisableput out of action/commissionrender inoperativedeactivaterare:disenable
Word Originlate Middle English: in early use probably from late Middle English paralysie ‘paralysis’ or its source Old French paralysie + -ize; in later use from French paralyser, from paralysie ‘paralysis’ (see paralysis).
