seize

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to take hold of something suddenly and firmly

   He seized her arm and pulled her back.

2. 2
   verb

   to take control or possession of something by force

   The army seized the city overnight.

3. 3
   verb

   to officially take something away, especially by law

   Police seized a large quantity of drugs.

4. 4
   verb

   to quickly and eagerly take advantage of an opportunity

   She seized the chance to study abroad.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Seize came through Old French seizir, “give legal possession,” from medieval Latin ad proprium sacire, “claim as one's own.” The Latin expression contains a Germanic element meaning “procedure,” related to the root of sake. The mechanical sense “jam or cease to function” dates from the late 19th century.

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 Lati…

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