verb. 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 |
verb. take or capture by force The terrorists seized the politicians|The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages |
verb. 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 |
verb. 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 |
verb. 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 |
verb. hook by a pull on the line strike a fish |
verb. affect Fear seized the prisoners|The patient was seized with unbearable pains|He was seized with a dreadful disease |
verb. capture the attention or imagination of This story will grab you|The movie seized my imagination |