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Meaning of seize in English
Pronunciation
/siz/
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Verb
seize
Etymology
Middle English: from Old French seizir‘give seisin’, from medieval Latin sacire, in the phrase ad proprium sacire‘claim as one's own’, from a Germanic base meaning ‘procedure’
Definitions
1.
take hold of
Examples
« grab »
« The salesclerk quickly seized the money on the counter »
« She clutched her purse »
« The mother seized her child by the arm »
« Birds of prey often seize small mammals »
2.
take or capture by force
Examples
« The terrorists seized the politicians »
« The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages »
3.
take possession of by force, as after an invasion
Examples
« the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants »
« The army seized the town »
« The militia captured the castle »
4.
take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority
Examples
« The FBI seized the drugs »
« The customs agents impounded the illegal shipment »
« The police confiscated the stolen artwork »
5.
seize and take control without authority and possibly with force
Examples
« take as one's right or possession »
« He assumed to himself the right to fill all positions in the town »
« he usurped my rights »
« She seized control of the throne after her husband died »
6.
hook by a pull on the line
Examples
« strike a fish »
7.
affect
Examples
« Fear seized the prisoners »
« The patient was seized with unberable pains »
« He was seized with a dreadful disease »
8.
capture the attention or imagination of
Examples
« This story will grab you »
« The movie seized my imagination »