Besieged: meaning, definitions and examples
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besieged
[ bɪˈsiːdʒd ]
military action
Besieged refers to the act of surrounding and attacking a fortified place, especially in warfare. The term implies a prolonged campaign where forces are cut off from supplies and reinforcements until surrender or capture is achieved.
Synonyms
blockaded, encircled, surrounded.
Examples of usage
- The city was besieged for months, leading to severe shortages of food.
- During the siege, the defenders did their best to hold out against the besieging army.
- The castle had been besieged several times throughout its history.
- In the novel, the protagonist finds themselves besieged by enemies on all sides.
emotional pressure
Besieged can also mean to be overwhelmed or attacked by a large number of questions, requests, or overwhelm of emotions. This usage conveys the idea of being constantly pressured or bombarded without relief.
Synonyms
assailed, bombarded, overwhelmed.
Examples of usage
- After the announcement, the company was besieged by calls from the media.
- She felt besieged by the endless inquiries of her concerned friends.
- The politician was besieged with questions from reporters at the event.
- He was besieged by feelings of doubt and fear before his big presentation.
Translations
Translations of the word "besieged" in other languages:
🇵🇹 assedado
🇮🇳 घेराबंदी किया गया
🇩🇪 belagert
🇮🇩 dikepung
🇺🇦 в облозі
🇵🇱 oblężony
🇯🇵 包囲された
🇫🇷 assiégé
🇪🇸 asediado
🇹🇷 kuşatılmış
🇰🇷 포위된
🇸🇦 محاصر
🇨🇿 obklíčený
🇸🇰 obliehaný
🇨🇳 被围困的
🇸🇮 obkoljen
🇮🇸 umsátur
🇰🇿 қоршауда
🇬🇪 შემოწერილი
🇦🇿 məhdudlaşdırılmış
🇲🇽 asediado
Etymology
The word 'besiege' comes from the Old French 'besieger,' which is derived from the Latin 'obsidēre,' meaning 'to sit down before.' It was originally used to describe a military tactic that involved surrounding a fortified position to force its surrender. The term has evolved over the centuries to encompass both its literal military meaning and a more metaphorical usage describing emotional or psychological pressure. In modern English, it retains both senses, appearing in contexts ranging from historical battles to everyday situations where someone feels overwhelmed by questions or demands.