seizure
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of taking something away using legal power or force.
the act of taking possession of property or persons by legal authority or by force.
Simple“The police ordered the seizure of the stolen car as evidence.”
In context“The court-ordered seizure of the company's assets followed a lengthy investigation into systematic financial fraud.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of' followed by the object being taken.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a sudden medical condition where the body moves in an uncontrolled way.
a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain that causes changes in behaviour, movements, or feelings.
Simple“He had a seizure and had to be taken to the hospital immediately.”
In context“The patient experienced a grand mal seizure, requiring the medical team to administer emergency anticonvulsant medication.”
UsageCommonly used with the verbs 'have' or 'suffer'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a sudden, strong feeling of an emotion like panic or pain.
a sudden onset or overwhelming burst of a specific emotion or physical sensation.
Simple“A sudden seizure of panic made her stop in her tracks.”
In context“He was overcome by a seizure of grief so profound that he could not continue his speech.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is less common in modern speech; learners will mostly encounter it in older literature or formal prose.
From seize + -ure.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.