seize (someone or something) with (something)
To use something to grab, grasp, or hold onto someone or something, especially intensely or with a lot of strength. The astronauts seized the detached cable with the robotic arm. The wrestler seized me from behind with his gigantic arms and flung me around the ring like a ragdoll.
seize on(to) (something)
1. Literally, to grab, grasp, or hold onto something intensely or with a lot of strength. He had a panic attack halfway up the ladder due to his fear of heights and seized on for dear life. The child seized onto her father's arm during the scary parts of the film.
2. By extension, to accept, adopt, or undertake something with great enthusiasm or zeal. The boss decided seized onto my idea of developing a smartphone app to accompany our newest product. You need to seize on opportunities like these before they pass you by.
3. To resort to some tactic or plan, as out of desperation or necessity. Jake seizes onto any reason he can think of to get out of doing his chores. You can't just seize on any old excuse and expect that to fly in this office.
seize out
1. obsolete To take quick, forcible possession of something. These banks are little more than crooks, hiking up interest rates and seizing out property from those unable to pay.
2. slang To twitch and convulse from or as from a seizure. I saw a girl on the sofa seizing out, so I called 911 straight away. He was so angry that his whole body started seizing out.
seize the bull by its/the horns
To approach, confront, or deal with a problem or difficult situation directly and with clear, confident action. I seized the bull by its horns and confronted my manager about the blatant sexism in the office. I've been complaining about being out of work for too long—it's time to seize the bull by the horns and go find a job!
seize the day
To take the opportunity to do something at the present moment without worrying about the future. This is our time. Let's seize the day! We may never get a chance to do this again.
seize the hour
To make the most of some present opportunity. This is our chance to live abroad in Europe like we dreamed, so let's seize the hour! We may never get an opportunity to do this again. In the midst of this political upheaval, it's time for us to seize the hour and make the changes we've always wanted to see.
seize the moment
To take full advantage of life's opportunities whenever and wherever they present themselves; to live life to one's full potential. I've tried to get the most out of life by always seizing the moment. That's how I ended up living in Europe and fell in love with your father!
seize the moral high ground
To claim, purport, or make it appear that one's arguments, beliefs, ideas, etc., are morally superior to those espoused by others. The senator always tries to seize the moral high ground during a debate so as to shift public opinion in his favor.
seize the opportunity (to do something)
To accept or pursue an opportunity (to do something) with alacrity or conviction. Mark complains about his teaching job a lot, but I knew if he were offered a tenured position in the school, he would seize the opportunity without hesitation. When our manager said she was leaving the company, I seized the opportunity to fill the vacancy. You should have been seizing the opportunity to move someplace new and exciting—instead, you decided to just stay in the same town you've always known.
seize up
To come to a sudden, unexpected stop and become immovable. I was so dehydrated that my leg seized up in the middle of the hike. The machine keeps seizing up. Have you checked the oil levels recently?
seize upon (something)
1. Literally, to grab or hold onto something intensely or with a lot of strength. He had a panic attack halfway up the ladder due to his fear of heights and seized upon the rungs for dear life. The child seized upon her father's arm during the scary parts of the film.
2. By extension, to accept, adopt, or undertake something with great enthusiasm or zeal. The boss decided seized upon my idea of developing a smartphone app to accompany our newest product. You need to seize upon opportunities like these before they pass you by.
3. To resort to some tactic or plan, as out of desperation or necessity. Jake seizes upon any reason he can think of to get out of doing his chores. You can't just seize upon any old excuse and expect that to fly in this office.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.