sequester

To sequester is to take something or someone out of the mainstream or out of circulation and put into isolation.

(verb)

When a judge orders that a jury in a high-profile case be kept in a hotel for the duration of the trial, this is an example of a situation where the judge sequesters the jury.

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See sequester in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

  1. to set off or apart; separate; segregate; often, to segregate or isolate (the jury) during a trial
  2. to take and hold (property) by judicial authority, for safekeeping or as security, until a legal dispute is resolved
  3. to take over; confiscate; seize, esp. by authority
  4. to withdraw; seclude: often used reflexively

Origin: ME sequestren < MFr sequestrer < LL sequestrare, to remove, lay aside, separate < L sequester, trustee, akin to sequi: see sequent

See sequester in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb se·ques·tered, se·ques·ter·ing, se·ques·ters
verb, transitive
  1. To cause to withdraw into seclusion.
  2. To remove or set apart; segregate. See Synonyms at isolate.
  3. Law
    a. To take temporary possession of (property) as security against legal claims.
    b. To requisition and confiscate (enemy property).
verb, intransitive
Chemistry
To undergo sequestration.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English sequestren

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin sequestrāre, to give up for safekeeping

Origin: , from Latin sequester, depositary, trustee; see sekw-1 in Indo-European roots

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