besiege
/bɪˈsiːdʒ
/verb [with object]
1Surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender: the king marched north to besiege Berwick (as adjective besieged) the besieged city...
- For the entire morning and much of the afternoon, Central Security forces besieged the city centre.
- Battle lines were drawn: Henry brought up forces to besiege the town, while Henry the Younger was joined by troops from his brother Geoffrey and the new king Philip of France.
- While state security forces besieged the village and cut phone lines to prevent communication with the outside world, he sent in trucks full of hired thugs to take control.
Synonyms
lay siege to, beleaguer, blockade, surround;
shut off, block off
archaic invest
1.1Surround and harass: she spent the whole day besieged by newsmen...
- We have got babies left on railway platforms, and in drains and garbage bins, and children bitten by dogs and besieged by disease and affliction.
- The production wasn't so much beset as besieged by difficulties.
- Carpetbaggers were besieging offices and harassing staff.
Synonyms
surround, mob, crowd round, swarm round, throng round, ring round, encircle;
hem in, shut in;
set upon, fall upon
oppress, torment, torture, rack, plague, afflict, harrow, beset, beleaguer, trouble, bedevil, cause suffering to, prey on, weigh heavily on, lie heavy on, gnaw at, nag at, haunt
1.2 (be besieged) Be inundated by large numbers of requests or complaints: the television station was besieged with calls...
- Publicans have been besieged with complaints about unpleasant smells in their establishments since the ban on smoking in public places was introduced last month.
- I know you've been besieged with requests and we do appreciate it.
- Ayurvedic outlets are being besieged with requests for this mixture of rice gruel and medicinal herbs.
Synonyms
overwhelm, inundate, deluge, flood, swamp, snow under;
bombard
Derivatives
besieger
/ noun ...- The defenders ran out of ammunition while the Royalist besiegers kept up the bombardment as though determined to destroy everything opposing them.
- It also raised the possibility of forcing back the besiegers.
- The besiegers suffered heavy casualties in every assault, while the besieged were forced to call on the services of the old and young who were normally excused military duties.
Origin
Middle English: alteration (by change of prefix) of assiege, from Old French asegier.