What does "siege" mean?

1. (military blockade) a military operation where an army surrounds a place to stop supplies from getting in and force a surrender. 2. (to surround and attack) to surround a place with an army in order to capture it.

How do you use "siege"?

Commonly used with the prepositions 'under' or 'lay'. The verb form is less common than the noun; 'besiege' is the standard modern verb choice.

siege

n. · v.

US //ˈsidʒ// UK //sˈiːdʒ// siege

1 military blockade (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a military operation where an army surrounds a place to stop supplies from getting in and force a surrender.

a military operation involving the surrounding and blockading of a fortified place to compel its surrender through attrition or assault.

Example

The city was under siege for three months before the food finally ran out.

Example

The medieval fortress withstood a brutal six-month siege, only surrendering when the internal water supply was contaminated by the attackers.

Usage

Commonly used with the prepositions 'under' or 'lay'.
- blockade
- encirclement
- investment
- relief
- liberation
2 to surround and attack (v.)
C2 Proficiency Literary

to surround a place with an army in order to capture it.

to subject a place or entity to a siege; more commonly expressed by the derivative 'besiege'.

Example

The enemy forces moved to siege the capital before winter arrived.

Example

The rebel commanders planned to siege the coastal garrison, hoping to cut off the loyalist escape route to the sea.

Usage

The verb form is less common than the noun; 'besiege' is the standard modern verb choice.
- besiege
- beleaguer
- defend
- protect

Origin

From Middle English sege, from Old French sege, siege, seige (modern French siège), from Vulgar Latin *sēdicum, from Latin sēdicŭlum, sēdēcula (“small seat”), from Latin sēdēs (“seat”).