To seize upon

To seize upon
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. [1913 Webster]

For by no means the high bank he could seize. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Seek you to seize and gripe into your hands The royalties and rights of banished Hereford? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To take possession of by force. [1913 Webster]

At last they seize The scepter, and regard not David's sons. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient. [1913 Webster]

Hope and deubt alternate seize her seul. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

4. (law) To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority; as, the sheriff seized the debtor's goods. [1913 Webster]

5. To fasten; to fix. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

As when a bear hath seized her cruel claws Upon the carcass of some beast too weak. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

6. To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as, to seize an idea. [1913 Webster]

7. (Naut.) To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline; as, to seize ropes. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest; take; capture. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • seize upon — phrasal verb seize on or seize upon [transitive, often passive] Word forms seize on : present tense I/you/we/they seize on he/she/it seizes on present participle seizing on past tense seized on past participle seized on seize on/upon something to …   English dictionary

  • seize upon something — ˈseize on/upon sth derived to suddenly show a lot of interest in sth, especially because you can use it to your advantage Syn: pounce on/upon • The rumours were eagerly seized upon by the local press. • Peter seized on her last comment …   Useful english dictionary

  • seize upon — ˈseize on ˈseize u ˌpon [transitive] often passive [present tense I/you/we/they seize on he/she/it seizes on present participle …   Useful english dictionary

  • seize upon — verb a) To grasp or take hold of (an object) suddenly, forcibly, or tightly. The child seized upon the cats tail as soon as it was within reach. b) To take up, embrace …   Wiktionary

  • seize\ upon — I. v To make use of (a happening or idea.) Bob seized on the rain as an excuse for missing school. II. v. phr. To latch onto. Whenever Herb is in a romantic mood, Irene seizes on it and starts talking about marriage, which is not what Herb had in …   Словарь американских идиом

  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • seize — [sēz] vt. seized, seizing [ME saisen < OFr saisir < ML sacire, prob. < Frank * sakjan, to lay claim to one s rights < IE base * sāg > SAKE1] 1. a) Historical to put in legal possession of a feudal holding b) to put in legal… …   English World dictionary

  • seize — v. (d; intr.) to seize on, upon (to seize upon a chance remark) * * * [siːz] upon (to seize upon a chance remark) (d; intr.) to seize on …   Combinatory dictionary

  • seize on — phrasal verb seize on or seize upon [transitive, often passive] Word forms seize on : present tense I/you/we/they seize on he/she/it seizes on present participle seizing on past tense seized on past participle seized on seize on/upon something to …   English dictionary

  • seize — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) v. t. grasp, clutch; capture, arrest, appropriate, confiscate; afflict; attach, distrain; comprehend, understand. See stealing, intelligence, acquisition. II (Roget s IV) v. 1. [To grasp] Syn. take, take …   English dictionary for students

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