26984 words

siege

2 definitions • 6 examples
1
the surrounding of a place by an armed force in order to defeat those defending it:

Examples:

The siege of Mafeking lasted for eight months.
The soldiers laid siege to (= started a siege of) the city.
The castle was under siege for months.
figurative That whole weekend at Cannes, Brigitte Bardot was under siege by photographers.
2
the act of surrounding a place by an armed force in order to defeat those defending it:

Examples:

[ C ] After a month-long siege, they gave themselves up to federal agents.
[ U ] The town was under siege.

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