seize (siːz
)
Definitions
verb (mainly tr)
- (also intr; foll by) on to take hold of quickly; grab ⇒
she seized her hat and ran for the bus
- on or upon to grasp mentally, esp rapidly ⇒
she immediately seized his idea
- to take mental possession of ⇒
alarm seized the crowd
- to take possession of rapidly and forcibly ⇒
the thief seized the woman's purse
- to take legal possession of; take into custody
- to take by force or capture ⇒
the army seized the undefended town
- to take immediate advantage of ⇒
to seize an opportunity
- nautical to bind (two ropes together or a piece of gear to a rope) See also serve (sense 19)
- (intr) up (of mechanical parts) to become jammed, esp because of excessive heat
- (passive) of to be apprised of; conversant with
- the usual US spelling of seise
Alternative Forms
ˈseizable adjectiveWord Origin
C13 saisen, from Old French saisir, from Medieval Latin sacīre to position, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic satjan to setC13 from Old French from Medieval Latin to position, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic to 1Synonyms
View thesaurus entry=
grab,
grip,
grasp,
take,
snatch,
clutch,
snap up,
pluck,
fasten,
latch on to,
lay hands on,
catch or take hold of
=
confiscate,
appropriate,
commandeer,
impound,
take possession of
requisition,
sequester,
expropriate,
sequestrate,
seise or US seize(siːz)
Definitions
verb
- to put into legal possession of (property, etc)
Alternative Forms
ˈseisable adjective ˈseiser nounWord Origin
variant of seizeTranslations
- British English:
seize
If you seize something, you take hold of it quickly and firmly.He seized my arm.siːz VERB He seized my arm.
- Spanish:
agarrar
v
- French:
saisir
vt
- German:
ergreifen
v
- Chinese: 查获 v
- Arabic: يَقْبِضُ عَلَى v
- Portuguese: apoderar-se v
- Russian: схватить v
- Croatian: uhvatiti v
- Czech: popadnout v
- Danish: gribe v
- Dutch: in beslag nemen v
- Finnish: tarttua v
- Greek: τσακώνω v
- Italian: afferrare v
- Japanese: ぐいとつかむ v
- Korean: 잡다 v
- Norwegian: beslaglegge v
- Polish: chwycić v chwytać
- Brazilian Portuguese: apoderar-se v
- European Spanish:
agarrar
v
- Swedish: gripa v
- Thai: ฉกฉวย v
- Turkish: yakalamak v
- Vietnamese: nắm lấy v
Usage examples
I winced sympathetically, and said nothing as he reached a long arm to seize my wine glass and wash away the taste.
, THE GOLDEN FOOL: Book Two of the Tawny Man (2002)The bluster worked and Naveen managed to seize control and push through his candidate's nomination.
India Today (1998)They could seize his home, deny him his job, compromise his freedom Mr. Kutsukake worked for a company making boxes.
Globe and Mail (2003)There's a big advantage to Northern Ireland, if only we can seize it.
Belfast Telegraph (2003)They dare not criticize their parents, and so they seize on any terminology or therapy that renders self-exploration irrelevant.
, BEYOND FEAR (2002)