seize
/si:z/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To take hold of suddenly or forcibly; to grab: To grasp something quickly and with force.
- To take possession of by legal authority or force: To confiscate or capture something, often through official power or aggressive action.
- To capture or overwhelm: To affect someone suddenly and powerfully, as with an emotion, idea, or sensation.
Usage
- To take hold forcibly:
- To take control or possession:
- To affect suddenly:
Examples
- Taking hold:
- Taking control:
- Being affected:
Advanced Usage
- "Seize the day" (idiom): To make the most of the present moment; to take advantage of current opportunities.
- After his recovery, he decided to seize the day and travel the world.
- "Seize upon/on": To take eager advantage of an idea, opportunity, or mistake.
- The media seized on the politician's minor error.
- "Seize up": (Of a machine or part of the body) to become stuck or jammed, preventing movement.
- The engine seized up due to a lack of oil.
Variants and Related Words
- Seizure (n): The act of seizing; a sudden attack, as of an illness.
- The court ordered the seizure of the property.
- He suffered an epileptic seizure.
Synonyms
- Grab: To take hold of something quickly.
- Confiscate: To take possession of something by authority.
- Capture: To take control of something by force.
- Clutch: To grasp or hold tightly.
Phrasal Verbs
- Seize on/upon: To adopt or make use of something eagerly.
- She seized upon the chance to lead the project.
- Seize up: To stop moving or functioning because parts have become stuck.
- My back seizes up if I sit for too long.
Related Idioms
- Seize the initiative: To take action to gain an advantage before others do.
- The company seized the initiative by launching the product first.
- Seize power: To take control of a government, often by force.
- The general led a coup to seize power.
Verb
- capture the attention or imagination of
- This story will grab you
- The movie seized my imagination
- affect
- Fear seized the prisoners
- The patient was seized with unbearable pains
- He was seized with a dreadful disease
- hook by a pull on the line
- strike a fish
- seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; 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
- take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority
- The FBI seized the drugs
- The customs agents impounded the illegal shipment
- The police confiscated the stolen artwork
- take possession of by force, as after an invasion
- the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants
- The army seized the town
- The militia captured the castle
- take or capture by force
- The terrorists seized the politicians
- The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages
- take hold of; grab
- The sales clerk 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