seizure
(ˈsiːʒ(j)ʊə(r))
Forms: 5 seasur, seissure, 5–6 seasour, 6 seasor, ceazure, seysure, 6–7 seasure, 7 ceasure, 6–9 seisure, 6– seizure.
[f. seize v. + -ure.]
1. The action or an act of seizing, or the fact of being seized; confiscation or forcible taking possession (of land or goods); a sudden and forcible taking hold.
| 1482 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (1903) 9 The xxvj{supt}{suph} day of Auguste..your sayde seruaunt shuld come to Topsam..and founde the same seasur as ys in forme afor rehersid and ratified the same seasur. 1492 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 456/1 The Banishment of Scotts out of England by a certeyne day, under loss and seissure of theyr Goodes. 1545 in Leadam Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (1898) 172 Onles some iuste cause of forfeiture and seasour of and in the same demesne landes..shall growe to the said defendauntes. 1592 No-body & Some-body F 3 b, Lets..make ceazure of the Crowne. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. i. 10 Thy Lands and all things that thou dost call thine, Worth seizure, do we seize into our hands. 1666 Bunyan Grace Abound. §99 These suggestions..make such a seizure upon my Spirit. 1701 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 516 His Majestie's Attornie-Generall..moved..for a seisure of the premises. 1793 Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 143 The seizure of the estates of the church. 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. xiii, His grasp..is like the seizure of a vice! 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India iii. iv. III. 131 The burning of villages and the seizure of the inhabitants as slaves. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. iii. xxiv, We called in at your office as we came by, and found a seizure was also put in there. 1878 22nd Rep. Customs Comm. 56 A seizure of 108 lbs. of un⁓customed tobacco was effected. |
† b. Grasp, hold; a fastening. Obs.
| 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 241 And shall these hands..Vnyoke this seysure? 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. vii. (1626) 132 With spels and charmes I break the Vipers iaw, Cleaue solid rocks, okes from their seasures draw. |
c. A sudden attack of illness, esp. a fit of apoplexy or epilepsy. Also, a sudden visitation (of calamity).
| 1779 Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 14 June, The seizure was, I think, not apoplectical. 1805 Med. Jrnl. XIV. 203 If a person is incommoded by nausea or vomiting, on his seizure with this fever. a 1881 D. G. Rossetti House of Life vi, What..seizure of malign vicissitude Can rob this body of honour. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 347 The character of the seizures in general paralysis also varies. |
† 2. Possession, seisin. Obs.
| 1592 Lodge Euph. Shadow (1882) 16 When chillie age had seasure of this earth. 1611 W. Sclater Key (1629) 303 As he [Satan] hath giuen Rome seizure of the keyes of heauen, so [etc.]. 1612 ― Ministers Portion 44 Such consecration giues him seizure of them in fee. 1625 Gill Sacr. Philos. iv. 56 It hath thereby..a seisure and delivery of those heavenly joyes, which it had here onely in assurance of hope. 1641 R. Brathwait Penit. Pilgr. xix. 101 So dangerous is the custome of sinne, when it has taken seazure, or possession of the soule. 1658 Sir H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 202 On whom these inferiour contentments have taken Seasure. |
3. Mech. The action of seize v. 11.
| 1903 Cooper-Key Rep. Explos. Lowwood 7 Partial ‘seizure’ took place at times between the ram and the U-leather. |