SEIZE, verb transitive

1. To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold on; or to gripe or grasp suddenly. The tiger rushes from the thicket and seizes his prey. A dog seizes an animal by the throat. The hawk seizes a chicken with his claws. The officer seizes a theif.

2. To take possession by force, with or without right.

At last they seize The scepter, and regard not David's son. Milton.

3. To invade suddenly; to take hold of; to come upon suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient

And hope and doubt alternate seize her soul. Pope.

4. To take possession by virtue of a warrant or legal authority. The sherif seized the debtor's goods; the whole estate was seized and cofiscated. We say, to arrest a person, to seize goods.

5. To fasten; to fix. In seaman's language, to fasten two ropes or different parts oof one rope together with a cord.

To be seized of, to have possession; as a griffin seized of his prey. A B was seized and possessed of the manor of Dale.

To seize on or upon, is to fall on and grasp; to take hold on; to take possession.