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Seizing - 6 dictionary results

seiz⋅ing

  [see-zing]
Use Seizing in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act of a person or thing that seizes.
2. Nautical. a means of binding or fastening together two objects, as two ropes, or parts of the same rope, by a number of longitudinal and transverse turns of marline, wire, or other small stuff.
Origin:
1300–50; ME; see seize, -ing 1

seize

  [seez] verb, seized, seiz⋅ing.
–verb (used with object)
1. to take hold of suddenly or forcibly; grasp: to seize a weapon.
2. to grasp mentally; understand clearly and completely: to seize an idea.
3. to take possession of by force or at will: to seize enemy ships.
4. to take possession or control of as if by suddenly laying hold: Panic seized the crowd.
5. to take possession of by legal authority; confiscate: to seize smuggled goods.
6. Also, seise. Law. to put (someone) in seizin or legal possession of property (usually used in passive constructions): She was seized of vast estates.
7. to capture; take into custody.
8. to take advantage of promptly: to seize an opportunity.
9. Nautical. to bind or fasten together with a seizing.
–verb (used without object)
10. to grab or take hold suddenly or forcibly (usually fol. by on or upon): to seize on a rope.
11. to resort to a method, plan, etc., in desperation (usually fol. by on or upon): He must seize on a solution, however risky.
12. to have moving parts bind and stop moving as a result of excessive pressure, temperature, or friction (usually fol. by up): The engine seized up from cold.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME saisen, seisen < OF saisir < ML sacīre to place (in phrase sacīre ad propriētam to take as one's own, lay claim to) < Frankish, perh. akin to Goth satjan to set, put, place

Related forms:
seiz⋅a⋅ble, adjective
seizer; Law. sei⋅zor  [see-zer, -zawr] , noun

Synonyms:
1. clutch, grab. 7. arrest, apprehend. See catch.

Antonyms:
7. release.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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seize   (sēz)   
v.   seized, seiz·ing, seiz·es

v.   tr.
  1. To grasp suddenly and forcibly; take or grab: seize a sword.
    1. To grasp with the mind; apprehend: seize an idea and develop it to the fullest extent.
    2. To possess oneself of (something): seize an opportunity.
    3. To have a sudden overwhelming effect on: a heinous crime that seized the minds and emotions of the populace.
    4. To overwhelm physically: a person who was seized with a terminal disease.
    5. To put (one) into possession of something.
    6. To vest ownership of a feudal property in.
    1. To have a sudden overwhelming effect on: a heinous crime that seized the minds and emotions of the populace.
    2. To overwhelm physically: a person who was seized with a terminal disease.
    3. To put (one) into possession of something.
    4. To vest ownership of a feudal property in.
  4. To take into custody; capture.
  5. To take quick and forcible possession of; confiscate: seize a cache of illegal drugs.
  6. also seise (sēz)
    1. To put (one) into possession of something.
    2. To vest ownership of a feudal property in.
  7. Nautical To bind (a rope) to another, or to a spar, with turns of small line.
v.   intr.
  1. To lay sudden or forcible hold of.
    1. To cohere or fuse with another part as a result of high pressure or temperature and restrict or prevent further motion or flow.
    2. To come to a halt: The talks seized up and were rescheduled.
  3. To exhibit symptoms of seizure activity, usually with convulsions.

[Middle English seisen, from Old French seisir, to take possession, of Germanic origin.]
seiz'a·ble adj., seiz'er n.
seiz·ing   (sē'zĭng)   
n.   Nautical
  1. A binding of larger lines made with multiple turns of smaller line.
  2. The smaller line so used.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Seizing

Seiz"ing\, n. 1. The act of taking or grasping suddenly.

2. (Naut.) (a) The operation of fastening together or lashing. (b) The cord or lashing used for such fastening.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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seizing

means of fastening together two spars, two ropes, or two parts of the same rope by means of a third rope. Two parts of the same rope may be thus joined to make an eye, or closed circle

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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