ENGLISH
REFERENCE

seized

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsizd// UK //sˈiːzd// seized

v. to take hold of something suddenly and with force. You can also use it when the police or government take something away because it is illegal.

v. to take hold of something suddenly and forcibly; to take legal possession of something by warrant or official power. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The police seized the illegal goods at the border.

CONTEXTUAL

Customs officers seized several crates of undeclared electronics during a routine inspection of the cargo ship.

COMPLEX

The revolutionary forces seized the radio station in the early hours of the morning, ensuring they controlled the flow of information to the public during the transition of power.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. When used in a legal context, it often takes the preposition 'by' (e.g., 'seized by the state').

Pitfall

The police seized from the carThe police seized the carSeize is a transitive verb and must be followed directly by the object being taken, not a prepositional phrase starting with 'from'.

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