An account freeze stops all pending transactions and does not honor new transaction requests for a financial depository account.
A checking or savings account might be frozen at the prerogative of the banking institution or at the request of the account owner or government agency. Similarly an investment account might be frozen for breaking the terms of the account agreement with regards to trading activity or margin requirements, in addition to illegal activity or court order for another reason.
Sometimes in divorce proceedings specific accounts, jointly owned or otherwise, can be frozen. Accounts might be frozen at the death of the account owner as well, in which case the beneficiary can have a new account established. This might also be called a “hold” on the account, or an account suspension. A more official word used in government affairs might be “moratorium.”