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# seize

«seize» in Mova's school dictionary: **To take hold of something suddenly and firmly; to grab:…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (seize, seizes, seized, seizing)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To take hold of something suddenly and firmly; to grab: He seized the rope. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#m1)

2) To take control of a place by force: The army seized the town. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#m2)

3) (of police, officials) To take something away by law: Police seized the stolen goods. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#m3)

4) To take a chance quickly: Seize the day! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#m4)

5) «Seize up» means to become stuck and stop working, like an engine or stiff muscles. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In stories heroes seize swords, villains seize castles, and children seize chances. In news and safety, police seize illegal items. In science or daily life, an engine seizes up without oil. Formal and strong; everyday words are «grab» and «take». Phrases: «seize the opportunity», «seize the day», «seize power», «seize up», «seized with fear».

### examples

- She seized the ball and ran. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x1)
- The rebels seized the castle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x2)
- Police seized 200 fake watches. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x3)
- Seize the chance to learn something new! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x4)
- My legs seized up after the long race. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x5)
- The car engine seized because it had no oil. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x6)
- He was seized with fear in the dark. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x7)
- The Barmecide seized him by the hand. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/#x8)

### note

Spelling trap: s-E-I-z-e breaks the rule «i before e except after c». Regular verb: seized. Noun: seizure (also a medical fit). Homophone: «seas», «sees».

### In the corpora

- [seize is 16 but soixante is 60; the longer word is the bigger number.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/french/7-numbers-21-to-69/15/)
- [Car engines need oil; without it their metal parts would rub, heat up and seize (jam solid).](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/physics/7-living-with-friction/5/)
- [The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath seized the ungodly: 'Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.695/)
- [And the fords are seized, and the castles they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JER.1409/)
- [How is Sheshach taken! and the praise of the whole earth seized!](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JER.1418/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «seize» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/seize/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.