SEIZE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does seize mean? 

• SEIZE (verb)
  The verb SEIZE has 8 senses:

1. take hold of; grab

2. take or capture by force

3. take possession of by force, as after an invasion

4. take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority

5. seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession

6. hook by a pull on the line

7. affect

8. capture the attention or imagination of

  Familiarity information: SEIZE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SEIZE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they seize    ... he / she / it seizes   
Past simple: seized   
Past participle: seized   
-ing form: seizing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take hold of; grab

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clutch; prehend; seize

Context example:

Birds of prey often seize small mammals

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

get hold of; take (get into one's hands, take physically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seize"):

rack (seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to prevent running through the block)

claw (clutch as if in panic)

apprehend; arrest; collar; cop; nab; nail; pick up (take into custody)

capture; catch; get (succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase)

collar (seize by the neck or collar)

clasp (grasp firmly)

grip (hold fast or firmly)

grab (take or grasp suddenly)

catch; grab; take hold of (take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of)

snap; snatch; snatch up (to grasp hastily or eagerly)

clench; clinch (hold in a tight grasp)

grapple; grip (to grip or seize, as in a wrestling match)

nab (seize suddenly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

seizing (the act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take or capture by force

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

get hold of; take (get into one's hands, take physically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seize"):

raven (obtain or seize by violence)

commandeer; highjack; hijack; pirate (take arbitrarily or by force)

abduct; kidnap; nobble; snatch (take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom)

wrest (obtain by seizing forcibly or violently, also metaphorically)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

seizer (a kidnapper who drugs men and takes them for compulsory service aboard a ship)

seizure (the act of taking of a person by force)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Take possession of by force, as after an invasion

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

appropriate; capture; conquer; seize

Context example:

The militia captured the castle

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

arrogate; assume; seize; take over; usurp (seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seize"):

carry (capture after a fight)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Derivation:

seizure (the act of forcibly dispossessing an owner of property)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

attach; confiscate; impound; seize; sequester

Context example:

The police confiscated the stolen artwork

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

take (take into one's possession)

Verb group:

sequester (requisition forcibly, as of enemy property)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seize"):

condemn (appropriate (property) for public use)

garnish; garnishee (take a debtor's wages on legal orders, such as for child support)

distrain (confiscate by distress)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

seizure (the taking possession of something by legal process)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

arrogate; assume; seize; take over; usurp

Context example:

She seized control of the throne after her husband died

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

take (take by force)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seize"):

annex (take (territory) as if by conquest)

appropriate; capture; conquer; seize (take possession of by force, as after an invasion)

preoccupy (occupy or take possession of beforehand or before another or appropriate for use in advance)

hijack (seize control of)

raid (take over (a company) by buying a controlling interest of its stock)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Hook by a pull on the line

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

strike a fish

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

hook (catch with a hook)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Affect

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

clutch; get hold of; seize

Context example:

He was seized with a dreadful disease

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

overcome; overpower; overtake; overwhelm; sweep over; whelm (overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 8

Meaning:

Capture the attention or imagination of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

grab; seize

Context example:

The movie seized my imagination

Hypernyms (to "seize" is one way to...):

fascinate; intrigue (cause to be interested or curious)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

A thoughtless whim seized Thornton, and he drew the attention of Hans and Pete to the experiment he had in mind.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

James was seized with horror at the news.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We can know now what was in the Count's mind, when he seize that money, though Jonathan's so fierce knife put him in the danger that even he dread.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Then he would seize brands from the fire and hurl them into the pack.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Two of the ape-men had seized one of the Indians out of the group and dragged him forward to the edge of the cliff.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With less alarm and greater eagerness she seized a second, a third, a fourth; each was equally empty.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

He watched them for a while quietly, but at last when they were going too far, he seized his cutting-knife, and cried: “Away with you, vermin,” and began to cut them down.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

For good, too; though, in consequence of my previous emotions, I was still occasionally seized with a stormy sob.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I was seized with shame: my tongue would not utter the request I had prepared.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I had not a moment to lose, but seizing the hand of the old man, I cried, ‘Now is the time!

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)