transitive verb seized, seizing
- Historical to put in legal possession of a feudal holding
- to put in legal possession of a particular thing; assign ownership to: in the passive voice: seized of the lands
- to take forcible legal possession of; confiscate: to seize contraband
- to capture and put into custody; arrest; apprehend: to seize a criminal suspect
- to take forcibly and quickly; grab: to seize power
- to take hold of suddenly or forcibly, with or as with the hand; clutch
- to suddenly penetrate, illumine, or fill the mind of: an idea seized him
- to grasp with the mind, esp. in a sudden or intuitive way: seized their intent
- to take quick advantage of (an opportunity, etc.)
- to attack or afflict suddenly or severely: seized with a fit of sneezing
- Naut. to fasten together (ropes, etc.), as by lashings; bind; lash
Origin:
ME saisen < OFr saisir < ML sacire, prob. < Frank *sakjan, to lay claim to one's rights < IE base *sāg- > sake
intransitive verb
to stick or jam, esp. because of excessive heat or friction: said of a machine or its moving parts: often with up