besiege Definition
- 1to surround a place, especially with an army, to prevent people or supplies getting in or out
- 2to overwhelm someone with requests or complaints
Using besiege: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "besiege" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The castle was besieged by enemy forces.
Example
The embassy was besieged by protesters.
Example
The company was besieged with complaints after the product recall.
besiege Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with besiege
Example
The reporter besieged the politician with questions about the scandal.
to offer someone a lot of things, often in an attempt to persuade them to do something
Example
The company besieged the celebrity with offers to endorse their products.
a state of mind in which someone feels under attack and becomes defensive or paranoid
Example
The constant criticism from the media has led to a besiege mentality among the politicians.
Origins of besiege
from Middle English 'besiegen', from Old French 'beseoignier', from 'be-' (a prefix meaning 'around' or 'about') + 'seigier' ('to seat', 'to set up a seat', 'to install oneself', 'to occupy a seat', 'to sit down')
Summary: besiege in Brief
The verb 'besiege' [bɪˈsiːdʒ] means to surround a place, often with an army, to prevent people or supplies from getting in or out. It can also mean to overwhelm someone with requests or complaints, as in 'The company was besieged with complaints after the product recall.' Phrases like 'besiege with questions' and 'besiege with offers' denote aggressive questioning or persuasion, while 'besiege mentality' refers to a state of defensiveness or paranoia.
