seize
/siːz/ (bre, ipa) · /siːz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsēz/ (ame, mw)
seize — verb
- seizepresent simple I / you / we / they
- seizeshe / she / it
- seizedpast simple
- seizing-ing form
1. to quickly put your hands on something and keep hold of it, doing so with force
to quickly put your hands on something and keep hold of it, doing so with force or eagerness — for example, grabbing a phone from a table, or making immediate use of an opportunity the moment it appears.
Lien seized the keys from the table and ran out the door.
seize + direct object (physical grab)
The toddler seized his mother's hand and refused to let go.
When the job offer arrived, Vivek seized the opportunity without a second thought.
Nia seized the rope and pulled her brother back up onto the cliff.
The detective seized the phone before the suspect could delete the message.
文法句型
seize + noun phrase
用法筆記
Also used metaphorically for quickly accepting an opportunity, as in 'seize the moment' or 'seize the chance.' In this figurative use, the object is an abstract noun like opportunity, chance, or moment.
常見錯誤
2. to use sudden physical force to capture a city, building, or person, especially
to use sudden physical force to capture a city, building, or person, especially during a war, rebellion, or police operation.
Rebel fighters seized the radio station and began broadcasting their message.
seize + location (military capture)
The army seized the port city after a two-week battle.
Police officers seized three armed men outside the bank just before midnight.
Enemy troops seized the bridge and cut off all supply routes to the capital.
- liberate
to set free a place or people from control
文法句型
seize + noun phrase (location / person)
用法筆記
Common in news reports about wars, rebellions, and police raids. When referring to a person, this sense means 'arrest' or 'capture' and emphasises the use of sudden force.
常見錯誤
3. when police, customs officers, or other government officials take possession of
when police, customs officers, or other government officials take possession of goods, money, or property because they are illegal, unpaid for, or linked to a crime.
Customs officers seized two hundred kilograms of cocaine at the airport.
authority + seize + illegal goods
The court ordered police to seize all assets gained from the fraud case.
Border guards seized the truck when they found untaxed cigarettes hidden inside.
Federal agents seized documents from the company headquarters on Tuesday morning.
The smuggler's yacht was seized by the coast guard near international waters.
- confiscate
slightly more formal; used specifically in legal and customs contexts
- impound
used specifically for vehicles, documents, or property held temporarily
- requisition
formal; used by military or government taking property for official use
文法句型
seize + noun phrase (goods / property)
用法筆記
Subject is almost always an authority figure (police, customs, court, government). Frequently used in the passive voice: 'goods were seized.' The thing seized is usually illegal or obtained through crime.
常見錯誤
4. when a strong emotion, pain, or physical sensation suddenly and powerfully overt
when a strong emotion, pain, or physical sensation suddenly and powerfully overtakes someone, often making them unable to think or act normally — for example, being seized by fear when you hear a loud noise in the dark.
A sudden wave of panic seized the crowd when the fire alarm went off.
emotion + seize + person(s)
Elena was seized by an overwhelming fear as the elevator doors closed.
passive: be seized by + emotion
A sharp pain seized Reuben's lower back the moment he bent down.
The audience was seized by a strange silence during the final scene of the play.
- calm
the opposite emotional state; not a verb in this sense
文法句型
be seized by + emotion (fear / panic / pain)
用法筆記
The subject is always an emotion, feeling, or pain — never a person. Often found in literary and narrative writing. Passive form ('was seized by fear / panic / doubt') is very common.
常見錯誤
5. when a machine, engine, or part of the body becomes stuck and stops working or m
when a machine, engine, or part of the body becomes stuck and stops working or moving properly, usually because of friction, heat, damage, or lack of lubrication.
The car engine seized because nobody had changed the oil for years.
machine subject + seize (intransitive)
My father's knee seized up after he ran the marathon without warming up first.
body part + seize up
The printer seized halfway through printing the two-hundred-page report.
Takeshi felt his back seize up when he tried to lift the heavy sofa alone.
文法句型
seize up (phrasal verb)
用法筆記
Often used as the phrasal verb 'seize up.' For machines, the cause is typically lack of maintenance or extreme conditions. For body parts, it refers to muscle or joint stiffness that prevents movement.