siege 
(sēj)
(sēj)n.
1. The surrounding and blockading of a city, town, or fortress by an army attempting to capture it.
2. A prolonged period, as of illness: a siege of asthma.
3. Obsolete A seat, especially a throne.
tr.v. sieged, sieg·ing, sieg·es
To subject to a siege; besiege: The invaders sieged the castle.
[Middle English sege, from Old French, seat, from Vulgar Latin *sedicum, from *sedicāre, to sit, from Latin sedēre; see sed- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]