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: seize, 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, seize, 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, seize]
    5: 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" [syn: assume, usurp, seize, 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: seize, clutch, get hold of]
    8: capture the attention or imagination of; "This story will
       grab you"; "The movie seized my imagination" [syn: grab,
       seize]

Seize \Seize\, v. 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, v. t.]
   1. To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold of; to gripe or
      grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp.
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            For by no means the high bank he could seize.
                                                  --Spenser.
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            Seek you to seize and gripe into your hands
            The royalties and rights of banished Hereford?
                                                  --Shak.
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   2. To take possession of by force.
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            At last they seize
            The scepter, and regard not David's sons. --Milton.
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   3. To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon
      suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient.
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            Hope and deubt alternate seize her seul. --Pope.
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   4. (law) To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or
      other legal authority; as, the sheriff seized the debtor's
      goods.
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   5. To fasten; to fix. [Obs.]
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            As when a bear hath seized her cruel claws
            Upon the carcass of some beast too weak. --Spenser.
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   6. To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly;
      as, to seize an idea.
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   7. (Naut.) To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small
      stuff, as yarn or marline; as, to seize ropes.
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   Note: 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.
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   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.
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   Syn: To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest;
        take; capture.
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