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English Lexicon

Besiege

/bɪˈsiːdʒ/
verbCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As verb
  1. 1

    To surround a place with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender; to lay siege to.

    "The medieval army gathered to besiege the castle walls."
  2. 2

    To crowd around someone in order to ask questions or press demands; to overwhelm continuously.

    "Furious reporters continued to besiege the celebrity as she left the hotel."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Middle English 'besegen', combining the prefix 'be-' (thoroughly) with 'segen', which stems from Old French 'siegier' (to sit, besiege). Ultimately, it traces back to the Vulgar Latin root 'sedicare', derived from Latin 'sedere' (to sit). Over time, the meaning evolved from physically sitting around a fortified place to encircle and attack it, to a broader figurative sense of overwhelming someone with requests or questions.

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Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

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