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Webster 1913 Edition

Seize

Seize

,
Verb.
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
,
Verb.
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?
Shakespeare
2.
To take possession of by force.
At last they
seize

The scepter, and regard not David’s sons.
Milton.
3.
To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon suddenly;
as, a fever
seizes
a patient
.
Hope and deubt alternate
seize
her seul.
Pope.
4.
(law)
To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority;
as, the sheriff
seized
the debtor's goods
.
5.
To fasten; to fix.
[Obs.]
As when a bear hath
seized
her cruel claws
Upon the carcass of some beast too weak.
Spenser.
6.
To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly;
as, to
seize
an idea
.
7.
(Naut.)
To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline;
as, to
seize
ropes
.
☞ This word, by writers on law, is commonly written seise, in the phrase to be seised of (an estate), as also, in composition, disseise, disseisin.
To be seized of
,
to have possession, or right of possession;
as, A B was
seized
and possessed
of
the manor of Dale.
“Whom age might see seized of what youth made prize.”
Chapman.
–
To seize on
or
To seize upon
,
to fall on and grasp; to take hold on; to take possession of suddenly and forcibly.
Syn. – To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest; take; capture.

Webster 1828 Edition

Seize

SEIZE

,
Verb.
T.
1. To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold on; or to gripe or grasp suddenly. The tiger rushes from the thicket and seizes his prey. A dog seizes an animal by the throat. The hawk seizes a chicken with his claws. The officer seizes a theif.
2. To take possession by force, with or without right.
At last they seize The scepter, and regard not David's son. Milton.
3. To invade suddenly; to take hold of; to come upon suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient
And hope and doubt alternate seize her soul. Pope.
4. To take possession by virtue of a warrant or legal authority. The sherif seized the debtor's goods; the whole estate was seized and cofiscated. We say, to arrest a person, to seize goods.
5. To fasten; to fix. In seaman's language, to fasten two ropes or different parts oof one rope together with a cord.

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