seize

Verb

Verb Forms: seized, seizing, seizes

To take hold of suddenly and forcibly.
take hold of; grab
- "The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter"
- "The mother seized her child by the arm"
- "Birds of prey often seize small mammals"
take or capture by force
- "The terrorists seized the politicians"
- "The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages"
take possession of by force, as after an invasion
- "the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants"
- "The army seized the town"
take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority
- "The FBI seized the drugs"
seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession
- "She seized control of the throne after her husband died"
hook by a pull on the line
affect
- "Fear seized the prisoners"
- "The patient was seized with unbearable pains"
- "He was seized with a dreadful disease"
capture the attention or imagination of
- "The movie seized my imagination"
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.
Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”).
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.

Examples

a fever seized him
a panic seized the crowd
It’s crucial to seize every opportunity for a double or triple word score.
Rust caused the engine to seize, never to run again.
This Court will remain seized of this matter.
to seize a ship after libeling
to seize on the neck of a horse
to seize or stop one rope on to another
to seize smuggled goods
to seize two fish-hooks back to back

Origin / 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”)), 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”).

Synonyms

appropriate, arrogate, assume, attach, capture, clutch, confiscate, conquer, get hold of, grab, impound, prehend, sequester, take over, usurp, beclasp, begrasp, begrip, belock, clasp, clench, clinch, cling, commandeer, enclasp, fang, fondle, glaum, grabble, grasp, grip, hang on, hold, hold on, hold tight, impress, jump on, nab, nim, seize, stranglehold, take

Scrabble Score: 14

seize: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
seize: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
seize: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

seize: valid Words With Friends Word