Siege

/siːdʒ/

Meaning & Definition

noun
The act of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in order to isolate it and force its surrender.
The castle withstood a long siege, showing the strength of its defenses.
A prolonged period of trouble or difficulty, often used metaphorically.
The community faced a siege of poverty and unemployment after the factory closed.
verb
To surround a place with armed forces in order to capture it.
The troops were ordered to siege the enemy stronghold until reinforcements arrived.

Etymology

From Old French 'siege' meaning 'seat', from Latin 'sedes'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

laid siege to:
To attack or besiege a place.
under siege:
Surrounded by an attacking force, often used metaphorically.
besieged with requests:
Overwhelmed or inundated with requests.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

To dominate or overwhelm someone in a figurative sense.
He was sieged by fans at the convention.
To relentlessly pursue someone persistently.
She was sieged by her friends about attending the party.