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seize
seize the moral high ground
To claim, purport, or make it appear that one's arguments, beliefs, ideas, etc., are morally superior to those espoused by others. The senator always tries to seize the moral high ground during a debate so as to shift public opinion in his favor.
seize the moment
To take full advantage of life's opportunities whenever and wherever they present themselves; to live life to one's full potential. I've tried to get the most out of life by always seizing the moment. That's how I ended up living in Europe and fell in love with your father!
seize onto someone or something
to grab onto someone or something. The beggar seized onto the well-dressed gentleman and demanded money. Tony seized onto the doorknob and gave it a hard jerk.
seize someone or something with something
to grab someone or something with something. The robot seized Roger with its mechanical claws. The dockworker seized the cable with a long hook.
seize something up
to grab or take something. The crow seized the freshly hatched chick up and flew away. The huge bird seized up the tiny chick.
seize the opportunity
to take advantage of an opportunity when offered. My uncle offered me a trip to Europe, so I seized the opportunity. Whenever you have a chance, you should seize the opportunity.
seize up
to freeze or halt; to grind suddenly to a stop. The engine seized up, and the car coasted to a stop. My knee seized up in the middle of a football game.
seize (up)on something
1. Lit. to grasp something tightly. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) Dave seized upon the knob of the door and yanked hard. I seized on the railing and held on tight.
2. Fig. to accept or adopt something, such as a plan, idea, etc. I heard her ideas and seized upon them immediately. The committee seized on my plan at once.
seized with something
Fig. affected suddenly by something, such as laughter, coughing, sneezing, fits of rage, etc. Suddenly, I was seized with a fit of coughing. Mary was seized with laughter at the sight of Ted in a clown suit.
seize up
to suddenly stop moving or working I hit two keys at the same time and my computer just seized up. Her leg seized up and she had to be carried out.
seize the day
(formal) to use an opportunity to do something that you want and not to worry about the future Seize the day, young man. You may never get the chance to embark on such an adventure again.
seize on
Also, seize upon.
1. Grab or take hold of suddenly, as in He seized on the bell rope and started to pull vigorously, or She seized upon every opportunity to present her side of the story. [Late 1600s]
2. Resort to some action, especially out of dire necessity, as in He seized upon any excuse, no matter how farfetched.
seize up
Come to a halt, as in The peace talks seized up and were not rescheduled. Originally, from about 1870 on, this term was applied to a machine of some kind that jammed or locked, owing to excessive heat or friction. Its figurative use dates from about 1950.
seize on
or seize uponv. To take notice of something, especially because it can be used to one's advantage: The newspapers seized on the mayor's foolish remark and said that he wasn't fit for the job.
seize up
v. To fuse or stick together with another part and become unable to move normally, especially as a result of high pressure or temperature: The car's engine seized up due to a loss of oil.