seize
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seize
- /ˈsiːz/
- [ˈsɪi̯z]
Sounds like seas, sees, seise · Rhymes with -iːz
Where it comes from
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”).
verb seizes · seizing · seized
- 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 seize smuggled goods
- To have a sudden and powerful effect upon. a panic seized the crowd
- Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”).seise
- To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line. to seize two fish-hooks back to back
- To fasten, fix.
- To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon). to seize on the neck of a horse
- To have a seizure. 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.
- To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up. Rust caused the engine to seize, never to run again.
- 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). This Court will remain seized of this matter.
- Of chocolate: to change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard and gritty texture. 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.
