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Seize vs Gaffle - What's the difference?

seize | gaffle |

As verbs the difference between seize and gaffle

is that seize is to deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture while gaffle is to seize.

As a noun gaffle is

(obsolete) a lever used to bend a crossbow.

seize

English

Verb

(seiz)
  • to deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture
  • to take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance)
  • to take possession of (by force, law etc.)
  • to seize smuggled goods
    to seize a ship after libeling
  • to have a sudden and powerful effect upon
  • a panic seized the crowd
    a fever seized him
  • (nautical) to bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line
  • to seize two fish-hooks back to back
    to seize or stop one rope on to another
  • (obsolete) to fasten, fix
  • to lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon)
  • to seize on the neck of a horse
    The text which had seized upon his heart with such comfort and strength abode upon him for more than a year.'' (''Southey , Bunyan, p. 21)
  • to have a seizure
  • * 2012 , Daniel M. Avery, Tales of a Country Obstetrician
  • Nearing what she thought was a climax, he started seizing and fell off her. Later, realizing he was dead, she became alarmed and dragged the body to his vehicle to make it look like he had died in his truck.
  • to bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up
  • Rust caused the engine to seize , never to run again.
  • (UK) to submit for consideration to a deliberative body.
  • Derived terms

    * be seized of, be seized with * seizable * seize the day * seize on, seize upon * seize up * seizer * seizor

    gaffle

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A lever used to bend a crossbow
  • A steel spur attached to a gamecock
  • Verb

    (gaffl)
  • To seize
  • To steal
  • Gaffling is a planning technique for orienteering relay courses whereby individual routes are planned so as to vary slightly and to make following difficult. This means that the competition depends more on navigational skills rather than just physical ability. See British Orienteering Federation's Event Guideline F for Relay Events, Section 3.
  • To talk incessantly without a purpose, usually about inane or pointless topics; to banter.
  • References

    *OED 2nd edition 1989 (noun sense)