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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Commandeering

Commandeer \Com`man*deer"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commandeered; p. pr. & vb. n. Commandeering.] [D. kommandeeren to command, in South Africa to commandeer, fr. F. commander to command. See Command.]

  1. (Mil.) To compel to perform military service; to seize for military purposes; -- orig. used of the Boers.

  2. To take arbitrary or forcible possession of. [Colloq.]

Wiktionary
commandeering

vb. (present participle of commandeer English)

Wikipedia
Commandeering

Commandeering is an act of appropriation by the military or police whereby they take possession of the property of a member of the public.

In United States law, it also refers to federal government actions which would force a state government to take some action that it otherwise would not take. The US Supreme Court has held that commandeering violates principles designed to prevent either the state or federal governments from becoming too powerful. Writing for the majority in 1997, Justice Scalia said, "[t]he Federal Government may neither issue directives requiring the States to address particular problems, nor command the States' officers, or those of their political subdivisions, to administer or enforce a federal regulatory program."

Usage examples of "commandeering".

Jessie, of course, had settled right in, commandeering the prettiest bedroom as her own and cajoling Lucinda into redecorating it to her specifications.

Then she strode back to her sled for a second load, commandeering two more unencumbered handlers on the way.

No fuel for ferries, though they may start commandeering pleasure boats soon," Vitali said in the greatest of good humor.

You mean, does he make a habit of commandeering a woman's company for dinner?

Between trying to get her house ready to move into and Todd commandeering every other spare minute she had, Daisy felt as if she had been caught up in a tornado that refused to let her drop.

By enacting emergency taxes and commandeering luxury supplies from comfortable League Worlds, we gave those poor people shelter, medicines, hope.

In the mining or agricultural districts, more prisoners would rise up and slaughter families, commandeering lands and houses for themselves.

There was more in the wind than the commandeering of horses and provisions, though that would certainly be done as they went, and done thoroughly.

Dismayed guests, caught here in mid-journey with horses worth commandeering, came out in great agitation to argue and plead for their beasts, but it did them no good, unless the owners could prove they were in the king's service already.

If the Baronet D’Rugier starts commandeering people’s ships and claiming to outrank the Domina of Lost Entibor, he’s going to lose them.

Her aggressive and commandeering manner had subdued and changed into charm.

Richard's notebook was in and out of his pocket, signaling his professional interest, as Demi told tales of lost kittens, beloved ponies, myxomatotic marmots, rabid rabbits, and so on, and apostasies and conflagrations and wartime commandeerings and royal visits .