seizure

/ˈsiʒər/

/ˈsiʒə/

Other forms: seizures

A seizure is the act of taking by legal process or force, such as the seizure of evidence found at the scene of a crime.

A seizure is the act of seizing — a forceful action in which an object or person is suddenly taken over, grabbed, removed, or overwhelmed. It's not something you want to happen. Criminals may think the seizure of a wealthy person can bring them a fortune in ransom money. Another kind of seizure is the kind caused by a misfire of electrons in the brain, causing a loss of control of the body. It too is an unwanted taking over by force.

Definitions of seizure

1. noun

   the taking possession of something by legal process
   types:

   arrogation, confiscation

   seizure by the government

   distraint, distress

   the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim

   impounding, impoundment, internment, poundage

   placing private property in the custody of an officer of the law

   impress, impressment

   the act of coercing someone into government service

   recapture

   a legal seizure by the government of profits beyond a fixed amount

   expropriation

   taking out of an owner's hands (especially taking property by public authority)

   drug bust, drugs bust

   seizure of illegal drugs by the police

   type of:

   appropriation

   a deliberate act of acquisition of something, often without the permission of the owner
2. noun

   the act of forcibly dispossessing an owner of property
   synonyms: capture, gaining control

   types:

   usurpation

   wrongfully seizing and holding (an office or powers) by force (especially the seizure of a throne or supreme authority)

   apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, pinch, taking into custody

   the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal)

   conquering, conquest, subjection, subjugation

   the act of conquering

   enslavement

   the act of making slaves of your captives

   type of:

   acquiring, getting

   the act of acquiring something
3. noun

   the act of taking a person by force
   synonyms: capture

   types:

   abduction

   the criminal act of capturing and carrying away by force a family member

   kidnapping, snatch

   (law) the unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment

   type of:

   felony

   a serious crime (such as murder or arson)
4. noun

   a sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease, often characterized spasms or convulsions
   “he suffered an epileptic seizure”

   synonyms: ictus, raptus

   types:

   convulsion

   violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles

   focal seizure

   transitory disturbance in motor or sensory function resulting from abnormal cortical activity

   raptus hemorrhagicus

   seizure caused by a sudden profuse hemorrhage

   absence, absence seizure

   the occurrence of an abrupt, transient loss or impairment of consciousness (which is not subsequently remembered), sometimes with light twitching, fluttering eyelids, etc.; common in petit mal epilepsy

   clonus

   convulsion characterized by alternating contractions and relaxations

   epileptic seizure

   convulsions accompanied by impaired consciousness

   complex absence

   an absence seizure accompanied by other abnormalities (atonia or automatisms or vasomotor changes)

   pure absence, simple absence

   an absence seizure without other complications; followed by 3-per-sec brainwave spikes

   subclinical absence

   a transient impairment of cortical function demonstrable only by 3-per-second brainwave spikes

   type of:

   attack

   a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition