besiege

tr.v., -sieged, -sieg·ing, -sieg·es.

1. To surround with hostile forces.
2. To crowd around; hem in.
3. To harass or importune, as with requests: Reporters besieged the winner for interviews.
4. To cause to feel distressed or worried: She was besieged by problems.

[Middle English besegen, probably alteration of assegen, from Old French assegier, from Vulgar Latin *assedicāre : Latin ad-, ad- + Vulgar Latin *sedicāre, to sit; see siege.]

besiegement be·siege'ment n.
besieger be·sieg'er n.

SYNONYMS   besiege, beleaguer, blockade, invest, siege. These verbs mean to surround with hostile forces: besiege a walled city; the enemy beleaguered the enclave; blockaded the harbor; investing a fortress; a castle sieged by invaders.

verb

1. To surround with hostile troops: beleaguer, beset, blockade, invest, siege. Idioms: lay siege to. See attack/defend.
2. To surround and advance upon: close in, enclose, envelop, hedge, hem. See open/close.
3. To trouble persistently from or as if from all sides: badger, bedevil, beleaguer, beset, harass, harry, hound, importune, pester, plague, solicit. See attack/defend.

v

Definition: bother; assault
Antonyms: leave alone

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See missing.

IN BRIEF: To crowd around or make many demands on someone.

The fans excitedly besieged the escaping musicians in an attempt to get their autographs.

Tutor's tip: If they "besiege" (surround an enemy) us, we will "beseech" (beg, plead) them for our lives.

Common misspelling(s) of besiege

• beseige

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - belejre, omringe

Nederlands (Dutch)
belegeren, belagen, bestormen

Français (French)
v. tr. - assiéger, mettre le siège devant, (fig) assaillir, se presser autour, entourer, harceler de

Deutsch (German)
v. - belagern, bedrängen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - πολιορκώ, βομβαρδίζω (με ερωτήσεις)

Italiano (Italian)
assediare, insidiare, accerchiare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - sitiar, assediar, afligir (com perguntas)

Русский (Russian)
осаждать, надоедать, приставать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - sitiar, acosar, asediar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - belägra, bestorma

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
围攻, 包围, 围住, 围困, 烦扰, 困扰

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 圍攻, 包圍, 圍住, 圍困, 煩擾, 困擾

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~을 포위하다, ~으로 밀어닥치다, ~을 공격하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 包囲する, 押し寄せる, 攻めたてる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) حاصر, طوق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮כיתר, הקיף, הציק‬

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