siege /sēj/

1. The act or process of surrounding a town or fortress, cutting off its supply lines and subjecting it to persistent attack with the intention of forcing surrender by its defenders and capturing it
2. Any persistent attack, offensive, attempt to gain control, etc
3. A long period of persistent illness or troubles
4. A seat or throne (archaic)
5. Rank, distinction or class (obsolete)
6. A privy (obsolete)
7. Dung (Shakespeare)
8. A mason's or bricklayer's workbench (building)
9. The floor of a pot furnace or tank furnace (glass-making)
10. A company of herons or bitterns (also sedge)

To besiege

siegˈer noun

A besieger

siegeˈ-artillery or siegeˈ-gun noun

Heavy artillery or a gun designed for use in sieges rather than in the field

siege basket noun

A gabion

siegeˈcraft noun

The art of the besieger

siege economy noun

An economy in which imports are restricted in order to protect national industries and production

siege mentality noun

A mental state in which one imagines one is constantly under attack

siege piece noun

1. A coin, generally of imperfect workmanship, issued in a besieged place
2. A siege-gun

siege train noun

A train of artillery for besieging a place

siegeˈworks noun

A besieger's engineering works

lay siege to

To besiege

state of siege

A condition of suspension of civil law or its subordination to military law

• chain locker
• chain lockers
• chain mail
• chainman
• chainmen
• chain moulding
• chain of command
• chain of office
• chain pier
• chain piers
• chainplates
• chain printer
• chain printers
• chain pump
• chain pumps
• chain reaction
• chain reactions
• chain reactor
• chain reactors
• chain rule
• chain rules
• chains
• chainsaw
• chainsaws
• chainshot