Dictionary

seize en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈsiːz/
• (US) audio
• [ˈsɪi̯z]

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”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
2. (transitive) To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance).
3. (transitive) To take possession of (by force, law etc.).
   • to seize a ship after libeling
   • to seize smuggled goods
4. (transitive) To have a sudden and powerful effect upon.
   • a fever seized him
   • a panic seized the crowd
   • This sensation of an object becoming alive is a characteristic that, I believe, seizes all viewers of a van Gogh. The Bible goes beyond being a simple still-life object to become a living thing, an expression of strength, an existence that emanates from itself, beyond the painting surface to participate in our very lives. 2010, Antonio Saggio, A Secret van Gogh: His Motif and Motives, →ISBN, page 11:
5. (alt-of, alternative, transitive) Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”).
   alt of seise
6. (transitive) To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line.
   • to seize or stop one rope on to another
   • to seize two fish-hooks back to back
7. (obsolete, transitive) To fasten, fix.
8. (intransitive) To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon).
   • The text which had seized upon his heart with such comfort and strength abode upon him for more than a year. 1830, Robert Southey, Bunyan, page 21:
   • to seize on the neck of a horse
9. (intransitive) 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. 2012, Daniel M. Avery, Tales of a Country Obstetrician:
10. (intransitive) To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up.
    • Rust caused the engine to seize, never to run again.
11. (UK, intransitive) To submit for consideration to a deliberative body.
12. [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.
13. (ambitransitive) 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. 2012, Martha Holmberg, Modern Sauces: More Than 150 Recipes for Every Cook, Every Day, page 235:

Forms

Deriveds

anti-seize · foreseize · seize the opportunity · disseize · seize on · seizor · unseized · seizable · seize-up · seize the day · seize up · seizer · be seized with · reseize · seize out · unseize · be seized of · seize upon · seize the initiative · antiseize

Relateds

seizure

Synonyms

grasp · grip · seize · clutch · attach · hold tight · belock · jump on · nim · glaum · fondle · fang · grab · hold on · impress · confiscate · commandeer · grip · beclasp · take · grabble · clasp · cling · nab · stranglehold · clasp · hold · begrip · hang on · enclasp · clench · begrasp · arrogate · grasp · clinch

Translations (191)

de erfassen (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · es requisar (take possession of by force, law etc.) · pt apreender (take possession of by force, law etc.) · ca apoderar-se (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mk о́бземе (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · gl aproveitar (take advantage of) · pt valer-se de (take advantage of) · pl łapać (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cs lapit (deliberately take hold of, grab) · es decomisar (take possession of by force, law etc.) · de packen (take advantage of) · th คว้า (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cs popadnout (deliberately take hold of, grab) · de stocken (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · sv tillskansa (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cmn 檢取 /检取 (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fi juuttua (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · ko 붙잡다 (deliberately take hold of, grab) · de festgehen (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · no gripe (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mk згра́пчи (deliberately take hold of, grab) · gl apreixar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · it sfruttare (take advantage of) · mi parerori (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · es convulsionar (have a seizure) · ru схвати́ть (deliberately take hold of, grab) · he הפקיע (take possession of by force, law etc.) · mhr авалташ (deliberately take hold of, grab) · de packen (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · nl aangrijpen (take advantage of) · ang fōn (take possession of by force, law etc.) · pl chwytać (deliberately take hold of, grab) · shn ယွပ်း (deliberately take hold of, grab) · it prendere (deliberately take hold of, grab) · de krampfen (have a seizure) · tr el koymak (take possession of by force, law etc.) · txb eṅk- (deliberately take hold of, grab) · hu megragad (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mhr авалаш (deliberately take hold of, grab) · da gribe (take advantage of) · pt tomar conta de (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · bo བཟུང (deliberately take hold of, grab) · rgn branchêr (deliberately take hold of, grab) · bg заяждам (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · nl in beslag nemen (take possession of by force, law etc.) · no gripe (take advantage of) · sv beslagta (take possession of by force, law etc.) · de ergreifen (take advantage of) · fi leikata kiinni (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · sv fånga (deliberately take hold of, grab) · th ยึด (take possession of by force, law etc.) · bg възползвам се (take advantage of) · fr se gripper (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · la carpo (take advantage of) · pt capturar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fr se saisir de (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mk о́пфати (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · mwl agarrar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · es apoderarse de (deliberately take hold of, grab) · pt aproveitar (take advantage of) · hu megfog (deliberately take hold of, grab) · sa घिण्णते (deliberately take hold of, grab) · th ริบ (take possession of by force, law etc.) · cs chopit se pf příležitosti (take advantage of) · ar إِسْتَوْلَى عَلَى (deliberately take hold of, grab) · nl beslag leggen op (take possession of by force, law etc.) · ang niman (deliberately take hold of, grab) · sv konfiskera (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fi tarttua (tilaisuuteen) (take advantage of) · fi jumittua (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · es comisar (take possession of by force, law etc.) · bg завладявам (take possession of by force, law etc.) · wa saizi (take possession of by force, law etc.) · ja 捉える (deliberately take hold of, grab) · hy գրավել (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi alistaa (submit for consideration to a deliberative body) · nl vangen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ru захва́тывать (take possession of by force, law etc.) · mk за́земе (take possession of by force, law etc.) · eo kapti (deliberately take hold of, grab) · tr kapmak (deliberately take hold of, grab) · gl agarrar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · pt convulsionar-se (have a seizure) · de ergreifen (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · pt convulsar (have a seizure) · bg обземам (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · pt apanhar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · pt convelir (have a seizure) · be захапі́ць (take possession of by force, law etc.) · sv skära (bind or lock in position — see also seize up) · got 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍀𐌰𐌽 (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mk иско́ристи (take advantage of) · cs uchvátit (take possession of by force, law etc.) · pl złapać (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ru захвати́ть (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi ottaa haltuun (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fr s'emparer de (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fi käyttää hyväkseen (take advantage of) · pt apoderar-se de (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · cmn 沒收 /没收 (take possession of by force, law etc.) · my ဖမ်း (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cs dostat záchvat (have a seizure) · rgn abranchêr (deliberately take hold of, grab) · la possideō (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cmn 抓獲 /抓获 (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ja つかむ (deliberately take hold of, grab) · sv gripa (deliberately take hold of, grab) · la capiō (deliberately take hold of, grab) · egy iTi (deliberately take hold of, grab) · grc ἁρπάζω (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ru захва́тывать (deliberately take hold of, grab) · de fassen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fr saisir (take advantage of) · fi tarttua (deliberately take hold of, grab) · zdj usiha (deliberately take hold of, grab) · es hacer a salto de mata (take advantage of) · he תפס (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi kiinnittää (fasten, fix) · cs zkonfiskovat (take possession of by force, law etc.) · ru захвати́ть (take possession of by force, law etc.) · de ergreifen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mi herepū (take possession of by force, law etc.) · roa-opt tomar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · nl grijpen (take advantage of) · got 𐌳𐌹𐍃𐍃𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ga urghabh (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fr saisir (take possession of by force, law etc.) · de beschlagnahmen (take possession of by force, law etc.) · grc συλλαμβάνω (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ru схва́тывать (deliberately take hold of, grab) · da gribe (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi pitää otteessaan (lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws) · unm òhchipisi (have a seizure) · cmn 攫取 (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cmn 奪取 /夺取 (take possession of by force, law etc.) · be захо́пліваць (take possession of by force, law etc.) · es apresar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · it approfittare (take advantage of) · de greifen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ota پنچهلمك (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi jämähtää (cooking: change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard texture) · bg хващам (deliberately take hold of, grab) · nl grijpen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · yue 檢取 /检取 (take possession of by force, law etc.) · th ฉวย (take advantage of) · ca confiscar (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fr saisir (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · nl pakken (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi käydä käsiksi (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mk за́фати (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · fi iskeä (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · wa apicî (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi rihmata (nautical: bind, lash or make fast with several turns of small rope) · cs mít záchvat (have a seizure) · mi kōhaki (take possession of by force, law etc.) · cmn 捕獲 /捕获 (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi takavarikoida (take possession of by force, law etc.) · vo gleipön (deliberately take hold of, grab) · bn ধরা (deliberately take hold of, grab) · bo འཛིན (deliberately take hold of, grab) · es agarrar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · uk захо́плювати (take possession of by force, law etc.) · frr gripe (deliberately take hold of, grab) · it afferrare (deliberately take hold of, grab) · grc μάρπτω (take possession of by force, law etc.) · fr saisir (deliberately take hold of, grab) · cmn 抓住 (take advantage of) · tr koymak (take possession of by force, law etc.) · bg завземам (take possession of by force, law etc.) · pt convulsionar (have a seizure) · es aferrar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · pdt jriepen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · es incautar (se de) (take possession of by force, law etc.) · cs zabavit (take possession of by force, law etc.) · es aprovechar (se de) (take advantage of) · zdj uzingara (deliberately take hold of, grab) · pl chwycić (deliberately take hold of, grab) · ota استولی علی (deliberately take hold of, grab) · pt agarrar (deliberately take hold of, grab) · mk завла́дее (take possession of by force, law etc.) · pdt faustnämen (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi saada kohtaus (have a seizure) · la prehendō (deliberately take hold of, grab) · da beslaglægge (take possession of by force, law etc.) · uk захопи́ти (take possession of by force, law etc.) · eo konfiski (take possession of by force, law etc.) · mk за́плени (take possession of by force, law etc.) · is grípa (deliberately take hold of, grab) · fi säväyttää (have a sudden and powerful effect upon) · cmn 繳獲 /缴获 (take possession of by force, law etc.) · cs uchvátit (deliberately take hold of, grab)