Dictionary

besiege en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /bəˈsiːd͡ʒ/

Etymology

From Middle English besegen, bisegen, equivalent to be- (“around, about”) + siege.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To beset or surround with armed forces for the purpose of compelling to surrender, to lay siege to, beleaguer.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To beleaguer, to vex, to lay siege to, to beset.
   • When it arrived, the train was headed by a "K" class 4-6-0 wood-burning locomotive, and a water-tank wagon next to the tender was immediately besieged by women and girls, clad in their picturesque national costume, all with empty kerosene tins for water, a scene which was re-enacted at each stop down the line. 1943 November and December, G. T. Porter, “The Lines Behind the Lines in Burma”, in Railway Magazine, page 325:
   • They should have inflicted a much heavier loss on their besieged opponents, the highlight being a late goal for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins on debut after he came on as a substitute. 2021 March 25, Phil McNulty, “England 5-0 San Marino”, in BBC Sport:
3. (transitive) To assail or ply, as with requests or demands.
   • The box office was besieged by fans wanting tickets.

Forms

Deriveds

besiegement · besieger · besiegingly · unbesieged · rebesiege

Translations (83)

it assediare (to vex, to attack continually) · uk брати в облогу (to surround with armed forces) · es poner sitio (to surround with armed forces) · te చుట్టుముట్టు (to surround with armed forces) · cmn 圍攻 /围攻 (to surround with armed forces) · ro împresura (to surround with armed forces) · ca assetjar (to surround with armed forces) · fr assaillir (to assail or ply) · mi pāhau (to surround with armed forces) · fr assiéger (to surround with armed forces) · nl belagen (to assail or ply) · sl oblegati (to surround with armed forces) · grc πολιορκέω (to surround with armed forces) · io siejar (to surround with armed forces) · tr kuşatmak (to surround with armed forces) · ru осажда́ть (to surround with armed forces) · io siejar (to vex, to attack continually) · el πολιορκώ (to surround with armed forces) · lv aplenkt (to surround with armed forces) · es asaetear (to vex, to attack continually) · da belejre (to surround with armed forces) · bg обсаждам (to surround with armed forces) · pt assediar (to vex, to attack continually) · qu intuy (to surround with armed forces) · eo sieĝi (to surround with armed forces) · es asediar (to surround with armed forces) · ar حَاصَرَ (to surround with armed forces) · nrf assiégi (to surround with armed forces) · de umzingeln (to surround with armed forces) · es saetear (to vex, to attack continually) · mi pāhau (to vex, to attack continually) · zdj uzingiza (to surround with armed forces) · ru осади́ть (to vex, to attack continually) · cs obléhat (to surround with armed forces) · ru осажда́ть (to vex, to attack continually) · es asaetar (to vex, to attack continually) · id mengepung (to surround with armed forces) · gl sitiar (to surround with armed forces) · uk облягати (to surround with armed forces) · nb beleire (to surround with armed forces) · la obsideō (to surround with armed forces) · de einkesseln (to surround with armed forces) · de umstellen (to surround with armed forces) · lb belageren (to surround with armed forces) · de bedrängen (to assail or ply) · mi pakipaki (to surround with armed forces) · it assediare (to surround with armed forces) · es sitiar (to surround with armed forces) · fi piirittää (to surround with armed forces) · gd dèan sèist air (to surround with armed forces) · sv belägra (to vex, to attack continually) · mi pakipaki (to vex, to attack continually) · ru окружа́ть (to vex, to attack continually) · de bedrängen (to vex, to attack continually) · pt cercar (to vex, to attack continually) · ast asediar (to surround with armed forces) · da belejre (to vex, to attack continually) · pt assediar (to assail or ply) · nn omleire (to surround with armed forces) · mi awhi (to surround with armed forces) · hy պաշարել (to surround with armed forces) · pt cercar (to surround with armed forces) · pt sitiar (to surround with armed forces) · mi whakapae (to surround with armed forces) · pt assediar (to surround with armed forces) · ru окружи́ть (to vex, to attack continually) · nl belegeren (to surround with armed forces) · ru осади́ть (to surround with armed forces) · gl asediar (to surround with armed forces) · pl oblegać (to surround with armed forces) · fi motittaa (to surround with armed forces) · uk обступати облогою (to surround with armed forces) · hu ostromol (to surround with armed forces) · de belagern (to surround with armed forces) · sv belägra (to surround with armed forces) · mi pōrohe (to surround with armed forces) · gd dèan sèist air (to vex, to attack continually) · gl cercar (to surround with armed forces) · bg обкръжавам (to surround with armed forces) · es saetar (to vex, to attack continually) · de belagern (to assail or ply) · de belagern (to vex, to attack continually) · he צָר (to surround with armed forces)