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/Sounds like "pahs" (as in "park") + "MAH" (as in "mark") + "doh" (as in "door")/

Meaning

To freeze up and stop reacting when something unexpected happens. In Spain it also describes someone who is generally slow or checked out, not just stunned by a surprise. Think deer in headlights, but sometimes just permanently spaced out.

Examples

He stood there completely frozen when they told him he had won the contest.

Don't just stand there staring, reply to the email before the deadline closes.

Word family

To spot, notice, or lock eyes on someone with special interest. When you fichar someone, you're marking them mentally, in soccer it means scouts have noticed talent; in social settings it means someone caught your eye.