besiege etymology

Etymology:

besiege (v.): Middle English besegen (c. 1300), from Anglo-French assieger, Old French asegier, from Vulgar Latin assediāre, from Latin obsidēre ("to beset, besiege, blockade"), from ob- ("against") + *sidēre ("to sit down").

Meaning:

To surround and attack a fortified place with the intent of capturing or destroying it.

Origin:

The word "besiege" comes from the Latin word "obsidere," which means "to sit down against." This refers to the ancient military practice of surrounding a city or fortress with an army and cutting off its supplies until it surrenders or is captured.

Usage:

The word "besiege" is typically used in the context of military operations. It can also be used figuratively to describe a situation in which someone is subjected to a constant barrage of negative attention or pressure.

Examples:

• The enemy forces laid siege to the city, hoping to starve its inhabitants into submission.
• The politician's opponents besieged him with accusations of corruption.

besiege relate terms

• siege

  Etymology Middle French siege from Old French siege meaning seat Latin sedes

• bylaw

  Etymology Bylaw is a compound word composed of two separate terms By In legal context

• bygones

  Etymology The word bygones is derived from two Old English words bygan past gān t

• bystander

  Etymology The word bystander derives from the Middle English term bystandere circa 1

• beleaguer

  Etymology Old French belaguer from Late Latin bellicare from Latin bellicus of w

• surround

  Etymology The word surround originates from the Old French word suronder meaning to

• circumvent

  Etymology The word circumvent comes from the Latin words circum meaning around an

• obsess

  Etymology Latin ob sessum Meaning To be preoccupied with or fixated upon a parti

• obsession

  Etymology Middle English obsessioun from Latin obsessio obsess besiegement sieg

• invest

  Etymology The word invest is derived from the Latin word investis which means to c

• importune

  Etymology The word importune comes from the Latin word importunus which means unsea

• insist

  Etymology Latin insistere to stand upon insist press upon urge Proto Indo Europe

• attack

  Etymology Middle English ataken from Old French atachier probably from Old High Germ