siege

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A prolonged military operation in which an army surrounds a place to cut off supplies and force it to surrender.

   Grammar: Regular countable noun; often used with 'lay siege to' or 'under siege'.

   Patterns

   • lay siege to a place
   • under siege
   • a siege of + time

   The city withstood a siege of six months before surrendering.

   The army laid siege to the fortress in the spring.

   During the siege, the inhabitants suffered from hunger and disease.

2. 2nounsingularfigurative

   A situation in which someone or something is surrounded by problems, criticism, or demands.

   Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'under siege' to describe a person or organization under great pressure.

   Patterns

   • under siege
   • a siege mentality

   The company has been under siege from angry customers since the recall.

   After the scandal, the minister seemed to be under siege from all sides.

Word forms

Common combinations

lay siege to

The rebels laid siege to the capital for weeks.

under siege

The small town was under siege by enemy forces.

siege mentality

The team developed a siege mentality after constant criticism.

raise a siege

The reinforcements arrived and raised the siege.

Synonyms and how they differ

blockade

A blockade is a barrier to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving, often by sea; a siege involves surrounding a place with military force to capture it.

investment

In military history, 'investment' can mean the surrounding of a place, but it is rare and formal; 'siege' is the everyday term.

Word family

besiege verb

To surround a place with armed forces; also used figuratively, as in 'besieged by questions'.

Commonly confused: siege or seize?

Practice

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