confiscate

tr.v., -cat·ed, -cat·ing, -cates.

1. To seize (private property) for the public treasury.
2. To seize by or as if by authority. See synonyms at appropriate.

adj. (kŏn'fĭ-skāt', kən-fĭs'kət)

1. Seized by a government; appropriated.
2. Having lost property through confiscation.

[Latin cōnfiscāre, cōnfiscāt : com-, com- + fiscus, treasury.]

confiscation con'fis·ca'tion n.
confiscator con'fis·ca'tor n.
confiscatory con·fis'ca·to'ry (kən-fĭs'kə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj.

verb

To take quick and forcible possession of: commandeer, expropriate, grab, seize, snatch. Idioms: help oneself to. See give/take/reciprocity.

v

Definition: steal; seize
Antonyms: give, offer

---

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To expropriate private pro- perty for public use without compensating the owner under the authority of the police power of the government. To seize property.

When property is confiscated it is transferred from private to public use, usually for reasons such as insurrection during a time of war or because the private property had been used in illegal activities. A person convicted of violating the internal revenue code by carrying untaxed cigarettes may suffer the penalty of confiscation of any property used in the crime— as, for example, a truck.

Confiscation differs from eminent domain and condemnation in that the person from whom private property is taken is not compensated for its value at the time of confiscation.

IN BRIEF: To seize or take property from its owner for the use of the public.

The king's men confiscated all the chickens from the farmers so there would be fresh eggs in the castle.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - konfiskere
adj. - beslaglagt

Nederlands (Dutch)
confisqueren, verbeurdverklaren

Français (French)
v. tr. - confisquer
adj. - confisqué

Deutsch (German)
v. - konfiszieren, beschlagnahmen
adj. - verfallen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - (νομ.) δημεύω, κατάσχω

Italiano (Italian)
confiscare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - confiscar
adj. - confiscado

Русский (Russian)
конфисковать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - confiscar
adj. - confiscado

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - beslagta, konfiskera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
没收, 查抄, 充公, 被没收的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 沒收, 查抄, 充公
adj. - 被沒收的

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 몰수하다, 징발하다
adj. - 몰수된

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 没収する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) صادر أموالا, حجز عليها‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮עיקל, החרים‬
adj. - ‮עוקל או הוחרם‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.