Unable to move or feel parts of the body, usually due to injury or illness, or unable to act because of fear or shock.
From Greek 'paraluein' meaning 'to loosen' or 'to disable' (para- = beside/amiss, luein = to loosen). The term evolved from describing physical muscle paralysis to also describing emotional or mental inability to act.
The word paralyzed perfectly captures how fear can freeze you just as much as a spinal injury—both meanings come from the same Greek root describing something that's been 'loosened' or disabled!
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