HOW TO PRONOUNCE
seize
/siz/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does seize mean?
verb
- To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
- To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance).
- To take possession of (by force, law etc.).
More meanings (10)
verb
- To have a sudden and powerful effect upon.
- Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”).
- To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line.
- To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon).
- To have a seizure.
- To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up.
- To submit for consideration to a deliberative body.
- [with of] To cause (an action or matter) to be or remain before (a certain judge or court).
- Of chocolate: to change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard and gritty texture.
- (obsolete) To fasten, fix.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/siz/
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
When a big branch bent down to seize him the Woodman chopped at it so fiercely that he cut it in two.
She knew that Chauvelin must be lying in wait for her somewhere, ready to seize the first possible opportunity for a tête-à-tête.
More book examples (3)
He made a movement as if to seize the card which had just been played, adding, “You don’t understand anything about whist.”
The minister rushed at her, trying to seize her hand, but she escaped, and taking a step back, fired a second time.
While America rebuilds at home, we will not shrink from the challenges nor fail to seize the opportunities of this new world.