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Seize

//siːz// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture. transitive
  2. 2
    capture the attention or imagination of wordnet
  3. 3
    To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance). transitive
  4. 4
    affect wordnet
  5. 5
    To take possession of (by force, law etc.). transitive

    "to seize smuggled goods"

Show 16 more definitions
  1. 6
    take into your hands deliberately wordnet
  2. 7
    To have a sudden and powerful effect upon. transitive

    "a panic seized the crowd"

  3. 8
    take or capture by force wordnet
  4. 9
    Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”). alt-of, alternative, transitive
  5. 10
    hook by a pull on the line wordnet
  6. 11
    To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line. transitive

    "to seize two fish-hooks back to back"

  7. 12
    take possession of by force, as after an invasion wordnet
  8. 13
    To fasten, fix. obsolete, transitive
  9. 14
    take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority wordnet
  10. 15
    To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon). intransitive

    "to seize on the neck of a horse"

  11. 16
    seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession wordnet
  12. 17
    To have a seizure. intransitive

    "Nearing what she thought was a climax, he started seizing and fell off her. Later, realizing he was dead, she became alarmed and dragged the body to his vehicle to make it look like he had died in his truck."

  13. 18
    To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up. intransitive

    "Rust caused the engine to seize, never to run again."

  14. 19
    To submit for consideration to a deliberative body. UK, intransitive
  15. 20
    (with of) To cause (an action or matter) to be or remain before (a certain judge or court).

    "This Court will remain seized of this matter."

  16. 21
    Of chocolate: to change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard and gritty texture. ambitransitive

    "Chocolate seizes if a small amount of water (or watery liquid such as brandy) finds its way into the chocolate while it is melting. […] If chocolate seizes, it will look grainy and matte rather than glossy and smooth."

Etymology

Earlier seise, from Middle English seisen, sesen, saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Early Medieval Latin sacīre (“to lay claim to, appropriate”) (8th century) in the phrase ad propriam sacire, from Old Low Frankish *sakjan (“to sue, bring legal action”), from Proto-Germanic *sakjaną, *sakōną (compare Old English sacian (“to strive, brawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *sakaną (compare Old Saxon sakan (“to accuse”), Old High German sahhan (“to bicker, quarrel, rebuke”), Old English sacan (“to quarrel, claim by law, accuse”). Cognate to sake and Latin sāgiō (“to perceive acutely”).

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