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What is "to seize on"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
To seize on

Seize \Seize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Seized; p. pr. & vb. n. Seizing.] [OE. seisen, saisen, OF. seisir, saisir, F. saisir, of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. set. The meaning is properly, to set, put, place, hence, to put in possession of. See Set, v. t.]

  1. To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold of; to gripe or grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp.

    For by no means the high bank he could seize.
    --Spenser.

    Seek you to seize and gripe into your hands The royalties and rights of banished Hereford?
    --Shak.

  2. To take possession of by force.

    At last they seize The scepter, and regard not David's sons.
    --Milton.

  3. To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient.

    Hope and deubt alternate seize her seul.
    --Pope.

  4. (law) To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority; as, the sheriff seized the debtor's goods.

  5. To fasten; to fix. [Obs.]

    As when a bear hath seized her cruel claws Upon the carcass of some beast too weak.
    --Spenser.

  6. To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as, to seize an idea.

  7. (Naut.) To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline; as, to seize ropes.

    Note: This word, by writers on law, is commonly written seise, in the phrase to be seised of (an estate), as also, in composition, disseise, disseisin.

    To be seized of, to have possession, or right of possession; as, A B was seized and possessed of the manor of Dale. ``Whom age might see seized of what youth made prize.''
    --Chapman.

    To seize on or To seize upon, to fall on and grasp; to take hold on; to take possession of suddenly and forcibly.

    Syn: To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest; take; capture.

Usage examples of "to seize on".

On the other hand, from what we see now occurring in New Zealand, and from hardly a single inhabitant of the southern hemisphere having become wild in any part of Europe, we may doubt, if all the productions of New Zealand were set free in Great Britain, whether any considerable number would be enabled to seize on places now occupied by our native plants and animals.

The leaders of the present system tell them of their rights, as men, to take fortresses, to murder guards, to seize on kings without the least appearance of authority even from the Assembly, whilst, as the sovereign legislative body, that Assembly was sitting in the name of the nation-- and yet these leaders presume to order out the troops which have acted in these very disorders, to coerce those who shall judge on the principles, and follow the examples, which have been guaranteed by their own approbation.

He couldn't help but be concerned, because she would be the first one to seize on something that didn't ring true.

Both Sheriff Pitchess and Los Angeles Police Chief Edward Davis were quick to seize on this theory.

The others were still talking, though, and now he knew that the sound was real, he was able to seize on a word here and there, and pin it down, flapping, to examine for meaning.