Noun

(en noun) (Search and seizure) (wikipedia seizure)

The act of taking possession, as by force or right of law.

the seizure of a thief, a property, a throne, etc.

The search warrant permitted the seizure of evidence.

* 1874 , (Marcus Clarke), (For the Term of His Natural Life) Chapter VII

As yet there had been no alarm of fever. The three seizures had excited some comment, however, and had it not been for the counter-excitement of the burning ship, it is possible that Pine's precaution would have been thrown away

A sudden attack or convulsion, (e.g. an epileptic seizure).

He fell to the floor and convulsed when the epilectic seizure occurred.

A sudden onset of pain or emotion.

He felt the sudden seizure of pain as the heart attack began.

(obsolete) retention within one's grasp or power; possession; ownership

* Dryden

Make o'er thy honour by a deed of trust, / And give me seizure of the mighty wealth.

That which is seized, or taken possession of; a thing laid hold of, or possessed.

Noun

(en noun)

A random or sudden outburst (of activity).

* 1903 , (Jack London), (The Call of the Wild)

Unable to turn his back on the fanged danger and go on, the bull would be driven into paroxysms of rage.

*, chapter=23

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The slightest effort made the patient cough. He would stand leaning on a stick and holding a hand to his side, and when the paroxysm had passed it left him shaking.}}

* 1955 , (Vladimir Nabokov), (Lolita)

«There, on the soft sand, a few feet away from our elders, we would sprawl all morning, in a petrified paroxysm of desire, and take advantage of every blessed quirk in space and time to touch each other»

* 1983 , (John Fowles), Mantissa

Indeed in his excitement at this breakthrough he inadvertently dug his nails into the nurse's bottom, a gesture she misinterpreted, so that he had to suffer a paroxysm of breasts and loins in response.

An explosive event during a volcanic eruption.

A sudden recurrence of a disease.