0 to take something quickly and keep or hold it:
He seized the chance/opportunity of a free flight with both hands (= with eagerness or enthusiasm).
Political instability helped the army to seize power.
Troops yesterday seized control of the broadcasting station.
Customs officers at Heathrow have seized 60 kilos of heroin.
I was suddenly seized by/with a feeling of great insecurity and loneliness.
2 if the police or government seizes property or assets, they take possession of them because they are illegal, or because the owner owes money:
Customs agents last year seized $14 million in counterfeit electronics goods at the nation's ports.
3 if the government or other official authority seizes a company, they stop it from trading because of illegal activity or debts:
The government has threatened to seize any business that does not sell goods at the advertised price.
4 to take advantage of something that is available:
seize a challenge/opportunity
A Malaysian tycoon seized the chance to bid for the company, and won.
By having a contract already prepared, you may be able to seize the initiative in negotiations.
5 to take control of something, especially when others are trying to stop you:
Seizing the book in both hands, she threw it across the room.
Heroin worth about $5 million was seized.
The soldiers fell on the villagers and seized all their weapons.
The terrorists have seized 20 hostages and are threatening to kill one a day unless their demands are met.
Unlike their dreams of the freedom and openness of western society, often what they find is a profound sense of emptiness that seizes them ferociously.
The same theory of franchises that justified granting and seizing corporate privileges also justified modifying them by these means.
Two further oxen were seized as heriots, one compounded for £10 and the other for £15.
