siege
[ seej ]
/ sidʒ /
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noun
verb (used with object), sieged, sieg·ing.
to assail or assault; besiege.
QUIZZES
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Idioms for siege
lay siege to, to besiege: The army laid siege to the city for over a month.
Origin of siege
First recorded in 1175–1225; (noun) Middle English sege, from Old French: “seat,” noun derivative of siegier, from unattested Vulgar Latin sedicāre “to set,” derivative of Latin sedēre “to sit” (see sit1); (verb) Middle English segen, derivative of the noun
synonym study for siege
1. Siege, blockade are terms for prevention of free movement to or from a place during wartime. Siege implies surrounding a city and cutting off its communications, and usually includes direct assaults on its defenses. Blockade is applied more often to naval operations that block all commerce, especially to cut off food and other supplies from defenders.
OTHER WORDS FROM siege
siege·a·ble, adjectiveun·sieged, adjectiveWords nearby siege
Sidrah, SIDS, siècle, siècle d'or, Siegbahn, siege, siege mentality, Siegen, Siege Perilous, siege piece, Siegfried
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for siege
British Dictionary definitions for siege
siege
/ (siːdʒ) /
noun
- the offensive operations carried out to capture a fortified place by surrounding it, severing its communications and supply lines, and deploying weapons against it
- (as modifier)siege warfare
a persistent attempt to gain something
a long tedious period, as of illness, etc
obsolete a seat or throne
lay siege to to besiege
verb
(tr) to besiege or assail
Word Origin for siege
C13: from Old French sege a seat, from Vulgar Latin sēdicāre (unattested) to sit down, from Latin sedēre
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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