Seize

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Seize, v. t. [OE. seisen, saisen, OF. seisir, saisir, F. saisir, of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. set. The meaning is properly, to set, put, place, hence, to put in possession of. See Set, v. t.].

•  To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold of; to gripe or grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp.  [1913 Webster]

  "For by no means the high bank he could seize."  [1913 Webster]

  "Seek you to seize and gripe into your hands
  The royalties and rights of banished Hereford?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To take possession of by force.  [1913 Webster]

  "At last they seize
  The scepter, and regard not David's sons."  [1913 Webster]
•  To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient.  [1913 Webster]

  "Hope and deubt alternate seize her seul."  [1913 Webster]
•  To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority; as, the sheriff seized the debtor's goods.  [1913 Webster]
•  To fasten; to fix.  [1913 Webster]

  "As when a bear hath seized her cruel claws
  Upon the carcass of some beast too weak."  [1913 Webster]
•  To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as, to seize an idea.  [1913 Webster]
•  To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline; as, to seize ropes.  [1913 Webster]

  " This word, by writers on law, is commonly written seise, in the phrase to be seised of (an estate), as also, in composition, disseise, disseisin."  [1913 Webster]

To be seized of, to have possession, or right of possession; as, A B was seized and possessed of the manor of Dale. “Whom age might see seized of what youth made prize.” Chapman. -- To seize on or To seize upon, to fall on and grasp; to take hold on; to take possession of suddenly and forcibly.

Syn. -- To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest; take; capture.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Seize, v.
1 tr. take hold of forcibly or suddenly.
2 tr. take possession of forcibly (seized the fortress; seized power).
3 tr. take possession of (contraband goods, documents, etc.) by warrant or legal right, confiscate, impound.
4 tr. affect suddenly (panic seized us; was seized by apoplexy; was seized with remorse).
5 tr. take advantage of (an opportunity).
6 tr. comprehend quickly or clearly.
7 intr. (usu. foll. by on, upon) a take hold forcibly or suddenly. b take advantage eagerly (seized on a pretext).
8 intr. (usu. foll. by up) (of a moving part in a machine) become stuck or jammed from undue heat, friction, etc.
9 tr. (also seise) (usu. foll. by of) Law put in possession of.
10 tr. Naut. fasten or attach by binding with turns of yarn etc.

Idiom

seized (or seised) of
1 possessing legally.
2 aware or informed of.

Derivative

seizable adj. seizer n.

Etymology

ME f. OF seizir, saisir give seisin f. Frank. f. L sacire f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Seize

abduct, absorb, accroach, adopt, afflict, annex, appreciate, apprehend, appropriate, arrest, arrogate, assimilate, assume, assume command, be acquainted with, be apprised of, be aware of, be cognizant of, be conscious of, be conversant with, be informed, be with one, beset, bind, bust, capture, carry, carry off, catch, catch at, catch on, clutch, cognize, collar, commandeer, comprehend, conceive, conceptualize, confiscate, dig, digest, discern, encroach, expropriate, fasten, fasten upon, fathom, follow, get, get hold of, get the drift, get the idea, get the picture, grab, grapple, grasp, grip, have, have information about, have it taped, have knowledge of, hold, impound, infringe, invade, jam, jump, jump at, ken, kidnap, know, latch, learn, lock up, make an arrest, make out, master, mount the throne, nab, nail, net, nick, occupy, perceive, pick up, pinch, play God, possess, pounce upon, preempt, prehend, pretend to, put under arrest, read, realize, recognize, round up, savvy, scramble for, secure, see, seize on, seize power, seize the meaning, seize the throne, sense, sequester, shanghai, snap at, snatch, snatch at, spring upon, stick, stop, subject, swoop down upon, take, take advantage of, take away, take captive, take charge, take command, take hold of, take in, take into custody, take over, take possession of, take prisoner, take the helm, take the lead, throttle, transfix, trespass, understand, usurp, visit, wot, wot of

ROGET THESAURUS

Seize

Taking

VB take, catch, hook, nab, bag, sack, pocket, put into one's pocket, receive, accept, reap, crop, cull, pluck, gather, draw, appropriate, expropriate, impropriate, assume, possess oneself of, take possession of, commandeer, lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on, help oneself to, make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution, intercept, scramble for, deprive of, take away, carry away, bear away, take off, carry off, bear off, adeem, abstract, hurry off with, run away with, abduct, steal, ravish, seize, pounce upon, spring upon, swoop to, swoop down upon, take by storm, take by assault, snatch, reave, snap up, nip up, whip up, catch up, kidnap, crimp, capture, lay violent hands on, get hold of, lay hold of, take hold of, catch hold of, lay fast hold of, take firm hold of, lay by the heels, take prisoner, fasten upon, grip, grapple, embrace, gripe, clasp, grab, clutch, collar, throttle, take by the throat, claw, clinch, clench, make sure of, catch at, jump at, make a grab at, snap at, snatch at, reach, make a long arm, stretch forth one's hand, take from, take away from, disseize, deduct, retrench, dispossess, ease one of, snatch from one's grasp, tear from, tear away from, wrench from, wrest from, wring from, extort, deprive of, bereave, disinherit, cut off with a shilling, oust, divest, levy, distrain, confiscate, sequester, sequestrate, accroach, usurp, despoil, strip, fleece, shear, displume, impoverish, eat out of house and home, drain, drain to the dregs, gut, dry, exhaust, swallow up, absorb, draw off, suck the blood of, suck like a leech, retake, resume, recover.

Stealing

VB steal, thieve, rob, mug, purloin, pilfer, filch, prig, bag, nim, crib, cabbage, palm, abstract, appropriate, plagiarize, convey away, carry off, abduct, kidnap, crimp, make off with, walk off with, run off with, run away with, spirit away, seize, plunder, pillage, rifle, sack, loot, ransack, spoil, spoliate, despoil, strip, sweep, gut, forage, levy blackmail, pirate, pickeer, maraud, lift cattle, poach, smuggle, run, badger, bail up, hold up, stick up, bunco, bunko, filibuster, swindle, peculate, embezzle, sponge, mulct, rook, bilk, pluck, pigeon, fleece, defraud, obtain under false pretenses, live by one's wits, rob Peter to pay Paul, borrow of Peter to pay Paul, set a thief to catch a thief, disregard the distinction between meum and tuum, fence, launder, launder money.