Besieging
/bɪˈsiːdʒɪŋ/
verbpresent participleC2present participle
Definition
Besieging is the act of surrounding a place to cut off supplies and force the people inside to surrender (give up). It is mostly used in war or conflict situations when one group tries to take control of a place by blocking it from outside help.
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⚡ See It in Action
Military action of surrounding a place to capture it
- •The army was besieging the fortress for weeks.
- •During the war, the city was besieged by enemy forces.
- •Soldiers spent months besieging the castle before it fell.
Used metaphorically to describe being overwhelmed or surrounded by problems or people
- •She felt like she was besieging by questions after the announcement.
- •The company was besieged by complaints from customers.
- •Reporters were besieging the celebrity for answers.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "besieging" like "blocking" (A1 word), but much stronger and more serious because it surrounds and traps a place fully.
- ✓Picture a castle with soldiers all around it, not letting anyone go in or out.
- ✓It's the feeling of being stuck or trapped, like when you can't leave a room because the doors are all closed.
- ✓Sounds like "be-SEE-jing" → imagine many people saying "See! See! We are closing all sides!"
- ✓Think of famous stories like medieval castles under siege, where people wait inside while attackers try to get in.
- ✓NOT like "attack" (which can be quick and direct), "besieging" is slow and surrounds completely.
- ✓NOT like "block" (which can be small or temporary), "besieging" is a large and long-lasting action.
- ✓NOT like "invade" (which is entering), "besieging" means staying outside and stopping others from moving.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Surrounding: going all around something (Use when focus is on going around but not necessarily to capture)
- •Blockading: stopping ships or people from entering or leaving a place (Use in military or transport contexts)
- •Encircling: forming a circle around something (Use when focus is on forming a ring around)
- •Attacking: trying to hurt or capture by force (Use when the action is direct attack, not just surrounding)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "be-" (around, about) + root "siege" (military block) + suffix "-ing" (present participle form)
- •Etymology: From Old French "besieger," from "be-" (around) + "sieger" (to sit, stay) meaning to sit around or surround
- •Historical development: Originally used in war to describe armies sitting around a city to capture it by cutting off supplies
- •Modern usage: Still used in military and historical contexts, also used metaphorically to describe being overwhelmed or surrounded by attention or problems
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How does the idea of "besieging" help us understand feelings of being trapped or overwhelmed in daily life?
•Can "besieging" be used in peaceful situations, or is it only for war and conflict? Why or why not?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The army was besieging the city to ___ all supplies and force a surrender.
2.She felt like she was besieging by ___ questions after the big announcement.
3.Besieging is different from attacking because it means surrounding without ___ inside.
4.The castle was besieging for months, so the people inside had to ___ food carefully.
5.Reporters were besieging the celebrity, meaning they were surrounding him to ___ answers.
6.In history, besieging often involved cutting off water and ___ to weaken defenders.
7.Unlike a simple block, besieging means surrounding on ___ sides with no escape.