Etymology
1. 1265, from O.Fr.
seisir "to put in possession of, to take possession of," from L.L.
sacire, generally held to be from a Gmc. source, perhaps from Frankish
*sakjan "lay claim to" (cf. Goth.
sokjan, O.E.
secan "to seek;" see seek), or from P.Gmc.
*satjan "to place" (see
set (v.)). Originally a legal term in ref. to feudal property holdings or offices. Meaning "to grip with the hands or teeth" is from c.1300; that of "to take possession by force or capture" (of a city, etc.) is from 1338. Fig. use, with ref. to death, disease, fear, etc. is from c.1381. Meaning "to grasp with the mind" is attested from 1855. Of engines or other mechanisms, attested from 1878.
2. Earlier seise, from Middle English seisen, sesen, saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Early Medieval Latin sacīre (“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 *sakjaną, *sakōną (compare Old English sacian (“to strive, brawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *sakaną (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 sāgiō (“to perceive acutely”). See: Middle English '
seisen', Old French '
seisir', Old English '
sacian', Proto-Germanic '
*sakaną', Old Saxon '
sakan', Old High German 'sahhan', Old English '
sacan', Latin '
sāgiō'.
Verbs referencing "seize"
French
saisir, Ido sizar.