besiege
verb /bɪˈsiːdʒ/
/bɪˈsiːdʒ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they besiege | /bɪˈsiːdʒ/ /bɪˈsiːdʒ/ |
| he / she / it besieges | /bɪˈsiːdʒɪz/ /bɪˈsiːdʒɪz/ |
| past simple besieged | /bɪˈsiːdʒd/ /bɪˈsiːdʒd/ |
| past participle besieged | /bɪˈsiːdʒd/ /bɪˈsiːdʒd/ |
| -ing form besieging | /bɪˈsiːdʒɪŋ/ /bɪˈsiːdʒɪŋ/ |
- besiege something to surround a building, city, etc. with soldiers until the people inside are forced to let you in synonym lay siege to
- Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender.
- (figurative) Fans besieged the box office to try and get tickets for the concert.
- [usually passive] besiege somebody/something (especially of something unpleasant or annoying) to surround somebody/something in large numbers
- The actress was besieged by reporters at the airport.
- besiege somebody (with something) to send so many letters, ask so many questions, etc. that it is difficult for somebody to deal with them all
- The radio station was besieged with calls from angry listeners.
Word OriginMiddle English: alteration (by change of prefix) of assiege, from Old French asegier.