seize (v.)

  1. 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

    [ 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 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

    [ Syn: appropriate , capture , conquer ]

  4. 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

    [ Syn: impound , attach , sequester , confiscate ]

  5. seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as ones 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 unbearable 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 ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.