seize
- seize
seize (
v.) mid-13c., from
O.Fr. seisir "
to put in possession of, to take possession of," from
L.L. sacire, generally held to be from a Germanic source, perhaps from Frankish
*sakjan "
lay claim to" (
Cf. Goth. sokjan,
O.E. secan "
to seek;" see
SEEK (
Cf. seek)), or from
P.Gmc. *satjan "
to place" (see
SET (
Cf. set) (
v.)).
Originally a legal term in reference to feudal property holdings or offices. Meaning "to grip with the hands or teeth" is from c.1300; that of "to take possession by force or capture" (of a city, etc.) is from mid-14c. Figurative use, with reference to death, disease, fear, etc. is from late 14c. Meaning "to grasp with the mind" is attested from 1855. Of engines or other mechanisms, attested from 1878. Related: Seized; seizing.
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
seize — seize … Dictionnaire des rimes
seize — [ sɛz ] adj. numér. inv. et n. m. inv. • 1250; seze XIIe; lat. sedecim, de sex « six » et decem « dix » I ♦ Adj. numér. card. Nombre entier naturel équivalant à dix plus six (16; XVI). 1 ♦ Avec l art. défini, désignant un groupe déterminé de… … Encyclopédie Universelle
Seize — Жанр Рок, Electronic, electro industrial, Synthpop Годы С 1997 … Википедия
seize — [siːz] verb [transitive] 1. LAW if the police or another official authority seize goods or property, they take them because they are illegal or because the owner has not paid a debt: • South Korean authorities seized 186,000 fake products in 1999 … Financial and business terms
seize — [ siz ] verb transitive ** 1. ) to take something using official power and force: CONFISCATE: Customs officials have seized 100 pounds of cocaine. Action was taken to seize criminal assets valued at $200 million. a ) to take control of a place or … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Seize — Seize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Seized}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Seizing}.] [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 … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
seize — SEIZE. adj. numeral de tout genre. Nombre contenant dix & six. Les seize quartiers de la ville de Paris. nous estions seize à table. il n a pas encore seize ans. On dit aussi, En termes de Blason, Les seize quartiers. Voy QUARTIER. Il se met… … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
seize — vt seized, seiz·ing 1 or seise: to put in possession of property or vest with the right of possession or succession stand seized of land 2: to take possession or custody of (property) esp. by lawful authority seize drugs as evidence … Law dictionary
seize — W3 [si:z] v [T] [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: saisir to take possession of , from Medieval Latin sacire] 1.) to take hold of something suddenly and violently = ↑grab ▪ Suddenly he seized my hand. seize sth from sb ▪ Maggie sei … Dictionary of contemporary English
seize — [sēz] vt. seized, seizing [ME saisen < OFr saisir < ML sacire, prob. < Frank * sakjan, to lay claim to one s rights < IE base * sāg > SAKE1] 1. a) Historical to put in legal possession of a feudal holding b) to put in legal… … English World dictionary
seize up — To jam, seize, become immovable or stuck • • • Main Entry: ↑seize … Useful english dictionary
