Hypertext Webster Gateway: "seize"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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. t.]
1. To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold of; to gripe or
grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp.
For by no means the high bank he could seize.
--Spenser.
Seek you to seize and gripe into your hands The
royalties and rights of banished Hereford? --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
seize
v 1: take hold of; grab; "The salesclerk quickly seized the money
on the counter"; "She clutched her purse"; "The mother
seized her child by the arm"; "Birds of prey often seize
small mammals" [syn: {prehend}, {clutch}]
2: take or capture by force; "The terrorists seized the
politicians"; "The rebels threaten to seize civilian
hostages"
3: take possession of without permission or take with force, as
after a conquest or invasion; "the invaders seized the
land and property of the inhabitants"; "The army seized
the town"; "The militia captured the castle" [syn: {appropriate},
{capture}, {conquer}, {take over}]
4: take by legal authority; "The FBI seized the drugs"; "The
customs agents impounded the illegal shipment"; "The
police confiscated the stolen artwork" [syn: {impound}, {attach},
{sequester}, {confiscate}]
5: take control of; take as one's right or possession; "He
assumed to himself the right to fill all positions in the
town"; "he usurped my rights"; "She seized control of the
throne after her husband died" [syn: {assume}, {usurp}, {take
over}, {arrogate}]
6: hook by a pull on the line; "strike a fish"
7: affect; "Fear seized the prisoners"; "The patient was seized
with unberable pains"; "He was seized with a dreadful
disease" [syn: {clutch}, {get hold of}]
8: capture the attention or imagination of; "This story will
grab you"; "The movie seized my imagination" [syn: {grab}]
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