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besiege

[ bih-seej ]
/ bɪˈsidʒ /
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See synonyms for: besiege / besieging / besiegement on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), be·sieged, be·sieg·ing.
to lay siege to.
to crowd around; crowd in upon; surround: Vacationers besieged the travel office.
to assail or ply, as with requests or demands.
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Origin of besiege

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bysegen; see be-, siege

OTHER WORDS FROM besiege

be·siege·ment, nounbe·sieg·er, nounbe·sieg·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use besiege in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for besiege

besiege
/ (bɪˈsiːdʒ) /

verb (tr)
to surround (a fortified area, esp a city) with military forces to bring about its surrender
to crowd round; hem in
to overwhelm, as with requests or queries

Derived forms of besiege

besieger, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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