seize
Pronunciation: /ˈsiːz/
The English word “seize” has 12 meanings listed here.
verb
- To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
- To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance).
- To take possession of (by force, law etc.).
- To have a sudden and powerful effect upon.
- To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line.
- To fasten, fix.
- To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon).
- To have a seizure.
- To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up.
- To submit for consideration to a deliberative body.
- [with of] To cause (an action or matter) to be or remain before (a certain judge or court).
- Of chocolate: to change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard and gritty texture.
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”)),…
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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.