Making someone unable to move or act; causing temporary inability to do anything due to fear, shock, or physical condition.
From Greek 'paralysis': 'para-' (beside, amiss) + 'lysis' (loosening). Entered English in the 1600s literally describing physical loss of movement, expanded to emotional states by the 1800s.
We use 'paralyzing' for both physical and emotional situations because both involve the same result: you freeze up and can't function. Fear can paralyze you as completely as a physical injury, which shows how deeply our brains control our bodies.
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