besiege

/bɪˈsiːdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /bɪˈsiːdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /bi-ˈsēj bē-/ (ame, mw)

besiege — 動詞

  • besiegepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • besiegeshe / she / it
  • besiegedpast simple
  • besieging-ing form

1. to close in on a town, fort, palace, or other place with soldiers or weapons, st

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

圍困；圍城

以軍隊包圍某地並斷絕進出

to close in on a town, fort, palace, or other place with soldiers or weapons, stopping food, help, or people from getting through until those inside give up or let you enter.

例句

Walid's army besieged the hilltop town before the winter snow arrived.

Walid 的軍隊在冬雪來臨前圍困了那座山頂小鎮。

besiege + place with an attacking force

Government troops besieged the palace and blocked food trucks at dawn.

政府軍在黎明時圍困王宮，並擋下送食物的卡車。

besiege + defended place; supply line detail

同義詞
  • surround

    broader and weaker; does not itself imply cutting off escape or supplies

  • blockade

    focuses on stopping movement or supplies, often by sea or road

  • encircle

    describes forming a ring around something, without the surrender pressure

反義詞
  • relieve

    military opposite when outside forces break the siege

文法句型

besiege + place

be besieged by + army / troops

用法筆記

Object is usually a town, fort, palace, or other defended place rather than a person. Most often used in military or historical writing, and often passive when the trapped place is the focus.

常見錯誤

❌The soldiers besieged around the castle.
✅The soldiers besieged the castle.
💡besiege takes the place directly as its object; do not add 'around'.
❌The city was besieged with soldiers.
✅The city was besieged by soldiers.
💡use 'by' for the attacking force, not 'with'.

2. to gather tightly around a person or thing in such large numbers that they have

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

團團圍住

許多人把人或地點緊緊圍起來

to gather tightly around a person or thing in such large numbers that they have little space or freedom to move away.

例句

Fans besieged Beatriz outside the theater after the final concert.

最後一場演唱會後，歌迷在劇院外團團圍住 Beatriz。

crowd presses around a person in public

Reporters besieged the minister at the airport and shouted questions.

記者在機場團團圍住那位部長，還大聲拋出問題。

同義詞
  • mob

    stronger and more chaotic, often with danger or anger

  • swarm around

    more informal and image-based, like people moving all over the target

  • crowd around

    neutral everyday phrase without the same strong pressure

反義詞
  • disperse

    people move away instead of pressing in

文法句型

besiege + person/thing

be besieged by + crowd

用法筆記

Subject is usually a crowd such as fans, reporters, students, or shoppers. Distinguish from sense 1, where armed forces trap a place over time, and from sense 3, where questions or complaints create the pressure.

常見錯誤

❌Fans besieged to the singer at the station.
✅Fans besieged the singer at the station.
💡besiege takes the person directly as its object, without 'to'.

3. to hit someone with so many questions, requests, emails, or complaints that deal

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

連番轟炸

被大量問題、要求或抱怨轟得難應付

to hit someone with so many questions, requests, emails, or complaints that dealing with them all becomes hard.

例句

Parents besieged the principal with emails after the lunch price increase.

午餐漲價後，家長用電子郵件連番轟炸校長。

besiege + person + with + messages

Naoko was besieged by phone calls once the apartment ad went online.

公寓廣告一上線，Naoko 就被一通又一通電話連番轟炸。

passive: be besieged by + calls

同義詞
  • bombard

    common metaphor, especially with questions or messages

  • inundate

    more formal; stresses sheer quantity rather than pressure on the person

  • plague

    focuses on repeatedly troubling someone

反義詞
  • spare

    leave someone free from extra requests or complaints

文法句型

besiege + person + with + requests / complaints

be besieged by + questions / calls

用法筆記

Frequently appears with 'with' or a passive 'by' phrase naming the pressure: questions, emails, requests, or complaints. Distinguish from sense 2, where people physically gather around someone rather than overwhelm them with demands.

常見錯誤

❌I asked one question and besieged the clerk.
✅I kept asking questions and besieged the clerk with complaints.
💡this sense suggests repeated pressure, not one polite question.

4. to fill someone's mind with fear, worry, guilt, or other painful feelings that w

4.動詞及物C1
釋義

折磨；困擾

讓人一直受憂慮或痛苦折磨

to fill someone's mind with fear, worry, guilt, or other painful feelings that will not leave them alone.

例句

Since the accident, Padma has been besieged by guilt and sleepless nights.

那場事故之後，Padma 一直被罪惡感和失眠折磨。

be besieged by + guilt / emotional pressure

Tomás felt besieged by worry when his son missed the last bus.

兒子錯過末班公車時，Tomás 一直被擔憂折磨著。

同義詞
  • torment

    stronger and more painful, often suggesting severe suffering

  • haunt

    suggests the feeling keeps returning in the mind

  • trouble

    broader everyday word with less intensity

反義詞
  • reassure

    reduce the fear or worry instead of feeding it

文法句型

be besieged by + fear / guilt / worry

feel besieged by + emotion

用法筆記

Most often passive or used after 'feel', with the pressure coming from emotions rather than other people. Distinguish from sense 3, where outside demands cause the pressure.

常見錯誤

❌I was besieged about the exam.
✅I was besieged by worry about the exam.
💡this sense needs the troubling feeling as the thing that presses in on you.