different between seize vs embrace

English

Etymology

Earlier seise, from Middle English seisen, sesen, saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Medieval Latin sac?re (“to lay claim to, appropriate”) (8th century) in the phrase ad propriam sacire, from Old Low Frankish *sakjan (“to sue, bring legal action”), from Proto-Germanic *sakjan?, *sak?n? (compare Old English sacian (“to strive, brawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *sakan? (compare Old Saxon sakan (“to accuse”), Old High German sahhan (“to bicker, quarrel, rebuke”), Old English sacan (“to quarrel, claim by law, accuse”). Cognate to sake and Latin sagio (“to perceive acutely”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: s?z, IPA^(key): /si?z/
• Homophones: seas, sees

Verb

seize (third-person singular simple present seizes, present participle seizing, simple past and past participle seized)

1. (transitive) To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.

   Synonyms: clasp, grasp, grip; see also Thesaurus:grasp

2. (transitive) To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance).

   Synonym: jump on

3. (transitive) To take possession of (by force, law etc.).

   Synonyms: arrogate, commandeer, confiscate

4. (transitive) To have a sudden and powerful effect upon.
   • 2010, Antonio Saggio, A Secret van Gogh: His Motif and Motives, ?ISBN, 11:

     This sensation of an object becoming alive is a characteristic that, I believe, seizes all viewers of a van Gogh. The Bible goes beyond being a simple still-life object to become a living thing, an expression of strength, an existence that emanates from itself, beyond the painting surface to participate in our very lives.

5. (transitive, nautical) To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To fasten, fix.
7. (intransitive) To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon).

8. (intransitive) To have a seizure.
9. (intransitive) To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up.
   • 2012, Martha Holmberg, Modern Sauces: More Than 150 Recipes for Every Cook, Every Day (page 235)

     Chocolate seizes if a small amount of water (or watery liquid such as brandy) finds its way into the chocolate while it is melting. […] If chocolate seizes, it will look grainy and matte rather than glossy and smooth.

10. (Britain, intransitive) To submit for consideration to a deliberative body.
11. (law) (with of) To cause (an action or matter) to be or remain before (a certain judge or court).

    This Court will remain seized of this matter.

Derived terms

Related terms

• seizure

Translations

References

• seize in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• “seize”, in OED Online ?, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000

French

Etymology

From Middle French seze, from Old French seize, seze, from Latin s?decim.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s?z/
• (Quebec) IPA^(key): [saiz]
• Rhymes: -?z

Numeral

seize

1. sixteen

Derived terms

• seizième

Related terms

• six
• dix

Further reading

• “seize” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Norman

Etymology

From Old French seize, from Latin s?decim.

Pronunciation

Numeral

seize

1. (Jersey, Guernsey) sixteen

English

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English embracen (“to clasp in one's arms, embrace; to reach out eagerly for, welcome; to enfold, entwine; to ensnare, entangle; to twist, wrap around; to gird, put on; to lace; to be in or put into bonds; to put a shield on the arm; to grasp (a shield or spear); to acquire, take hold of; to receive; to undertake; to affect, influence; to incite; to unlawfully influence a jury; to surround; to conceal, cover; to shelter; to protect; to comfort; to comprehend, understand”) [and other forms], from Old French embracer, embracier (“to kiss”) (modern French embrasser (“to kiss; (dated) to embrace, hug”)), from Late Latin *imbracchi?re, from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’)) + bracchium (“arm”). The English word is analysable as em- +? brace.

The noun is derived from the verb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?b?e?s/, /?m?b?e?s/
• Rhymes: -e?s
• Hyphenation: em?brace

Verb

embrace (third-person singular simple present embraces, present participle embracing, simple past and past participle embraced)

1. (transitive) To clasp (someone or each other) in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug.

   Synonyms: fall on someone's neck; see also Thesaurus:embrace
2. (transitive, figuratively) To seize (something) eagerly or with alacrity; to accept or take up with cordiality; to welcome.
3. (transitive, figuratively) To submit to; to undergo.

   Synonym: accept
4. (transitive, also figuratively) To encircle; to enclose, to encompass.

   Synonyms: entwine, surround
5. (transitive, figuratively) To enfold, to include (ideas, principles, etc.); to encompass.
6. (transitive, obsolete, rare) To fasten on, as armour.
7. (transitive, figuratively, obsolete) To accept (someone) as a friend; to accept (someone's) help gladly.
8. (transitive, law, figuratively, obsolete) To attempt to influence (a court, jury, etc.) corruptly; to practise embracery.

Conjugation

Alternative forms

• imbrace (obsolete)

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

embrace (plural embraces)

1. An act of putting arms around someone and bringing the person close to the chest; a hug.
2. (figuratively) An enclosure partially or fully surrounding someone or something.
3. (figuratively) Full acceptance (of something).
4. (figuratively) An act of enfolding or including.

Derived terms

• deadly embrace
• half-embrace
• marital embrace

Translations

Notes

References

Further reading

• embrace (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Spanish

Verb

embrace

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of embrazar.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of embrazar.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of embrazar.
4. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of embrazar.