seize

Etymology

Earlier spelt seise, this word came from Middle English seisen, sesen or saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Early Medieval Latin sacīre (“to lay claim to, appropriate”) (8th century), used in the phrase ad propriam sacire, from Old Low Frankish *sakjan (“to sue, bring legal action”), from Proto-Germanic *sakjaną or *sakōną (compare Old English sacian, “to strive, brawl”), from Proto-Germanic *sakaną (compare Old Saxon sakan, “to accuse”; Old High German sahhan, “to bicker, quarrel, rebuke”; Old English sacan, “to quarrel, claim by law, accuse”). Cognate with sake and Latin sāgiō (“to perceive acutely”).