seizure
seizure — noun
1. the act of taking property, goods, or land from a person or group, either by an
the act of taking property, goods, or land from a person or group, either by an official legal order or by the use of force
The police announced the seizure of over two hundred kilograms of cocaine at the port.
collocation: seizure of [illegal goods]
A court order allowed the bank to take the family's home through seizure of the property.
legal context: court order + property seizure
The rebel army's seizure of the airport gave them control over all incoming flights.
Customs officers made a record seizure of smuggled electronics at the border last month.
- confiscation
specifically the legal taking of property by an authority, often as a penalty
- appropriation
taking something for oneself, often without permission; more formal than seizure
- takeover
seizing control of a company or territory, especially by force
文法句型
seizure of [something]
用法筆記
Frequently used in news reporting about crime, court cases, or military conflicts. The legal sense (property taken by court order) is countable, while the general concept (the act of seizing) is often uncountable.
常見錯誤
2. a sudden episode of illness in the brain that can cause a person to lose control
a sudden episode of illness in the brain that can cause a person to lose control of their body, shake violently, or become unconscious
Tariro had a seizure during class, so the school nurse called an ambulance immediately.
collocation: have a seizure
Doctors warn that stress and lack of sleep can trigger a seizure in epilepsy patients.
trigger: stress / lack of sleep
During the seizure, Nikos was unconscious for two minutes and could not remember anything afterward.
Lara was diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering her first seizure at the age of seven.
- convulsion
focuses on the violent shaking movements, while seizure is the broader medical term
- fit
informal British English term for a seizure or convulsion
文法句型
have a seizure
suffer a seizure
用法筆記
The most common type is an epileptic seizure, caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. A single seizure does not necessarily mean a person has epilepsy — some people experience seizures from fever, injury, or other causes.
常見錯誤
3. a medical emergency in which the heart suddenly stops pumping blood correctly th
a medical emergency in which the heart suddenly stops pumping blood correctly through the body
Reema was rushed to the hospital after suffering a cardiac seizure at a family dinner.
collocation: cardiac seizure
The doctors told Anong that her uncle died of a cardiac seizure while sleeping.
collocation: die of a cardiac seizure
Sofie's father survived a heart seizure because a neighbour performed CPR on him.
Justin had ignored the warning signs before suffering a cardiac seizure while he was gardening.
- heart attack
the most common term; medically refers to blocked blood flow to the heart muscle
- cardiac arrest
the heart stops beating entirely; more precise than seizure for this meaning
文法句型
cardiac seizure
suffer a seizure
用法筆記
This sense is less common in modern English. Most English speakers use 'heart attack' (myocardial infarction) or 'cardiac arrest' instead of 'cardiac seizure'. This meaning appears primarily in older or informal medical contexts.