Verb
1. take hold of; grab;
"The salesclerk quickly seized the money on the counter""She clutched her purse""The mother seized her child by the arm""Birds of prey often seize small mammals"2. take or capture by force;
"The terrorists seized the politicians""The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages"3. take possession of by force, as after an invasion;
"the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants""The army seized the town""The militia captured the castle"4. take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority;
"The FBI seized the drugs""The customs agents impounded the illegal shipment""The police confiscated the stolen artwork"5. seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession;
"He assumed to himself the right to fill all positions in the town""he usurped my rights""She seized control of the throne after her husband died"6. hook by a pull on the line;
"strike a fish"7. affect;
"Fear seized the prisoners""The patient was seized with unberable pains""He was seized with a dreadful disease"8. capture the attention or imagination of;
"This story will grab you""The movie seized my imagination"