siege
Surround and wait
A siege is a military operation surrounding a fortified place to cut off supplies and force surrender.
The image of prolonged pressure extends to other contexts: a siege of illness, under siege from creditors.
To lay siege to something is to pursue it with sustained intensity.
A siege mentality is a defensive mindset assuming hostile surroundings.
Siege engine for launching
- trebuchetCounterweight-powered projectile launcher
- ballistaAncient projectile siege engine
- mangonelTorsion-powered medieval catapult
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
sappers · mining · trenches · mantlet · ram · cannon · mortar · petard
Sealing off a place
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- assaultViolent offensive act
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
fortification · starvation · attrition · walls · garrison · defenders · attackers · capitulation
Captive held as security
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- barricadeObstacle blocking a path
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
SWAT · police · demands · surrender · escalation · sniper · perimeter · megaphone
Fortified medieval residence
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
- citadelFortified urban stronghold
- strongholdFortified place of defense
- rampartsProtective fortress walls
battlements · moat · drawbridge · portcullis · keep · palisade · barbican · bastion
Official prohibition on trade
- quarantineIsolation preventing disease transmission
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
- isolationComplete separation from others
- cordonEncircling line restricting access
strangulation · encirclement · starvation · containment · interdiction · economic · humanitarian · smuggling
Force upon contact
- onslaughtFierce, overwhelming assault
- barrageSustained, overwhelming attack
- besetTroubled on all sides
- overwhelmedDefeated by sheer volume
relentless · unending · stress · bombardment · demands · media · paparazzi · protesters
catapult
Siege engine for launching
- trebuchetCounterweight-powered projectile launcher
- ballistaAncient projectile siege engine
- mangonelTorsion-powered medieval catapult
artillery · sappers · mining · trenches · mantlet · ram · cannon · mortar · petard · fascine
blockade
Sealing off a place
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- assaultViolent offensive act
surrender · fortification · starvation · attrition · walls · garrison · defenders · attackers · capitulation · resistance
hostage
Captive held as security
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- barricadeObstacle blocking a path
confrontation · SWAT · police · demands · surrender · escalation · sniper · perimeter · megaphone · tactical
castle
Fortified medieval residence
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
- citadelFortified urban stronghold
- strongholdFortified place of defense
ramparts · battlements · moat · drawbridge · portcullis · keep · palisade · barbican · bastion · parapet
embargo
Official prohibition on trade
- quarantineIsolation preventing disease transmission
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
- isolationComplete separation from others
cordon · strangulation · encirclement · starvation · containment · interdiction · economic · humanitarian · smuggling · rationing
pressure
Force upon contact
- onslaughtFierce, overwhelming assault
- barrageSustained, overwhelming attack
- besetTroubled on all sides
overwhelmed · relentless · unending · stress · bombardment · demands · media · paparazzi · protesters · crowds
- Medieval Europekings, queens, knights, castles, castle
- medieval knightsknight, knights, armor, sword, swords
- plot eventsclimax, plot twist, twist, confrontation, battle scene
- tacticsmaneuver, counter-attack, gambit, ambush, counterstrike
- historical warfaremusket, bayonet, cannon, flintlock, cavalry
- siege warfarebattering ram, trebuchet, catapult, ballista, bombardment
siegeassault
Violent offensive act
blitz · blitzkrieg · storming · raid · charge
siegepeace
Freedom from disturbance
ceasefire · truce · armistice · pacification · reconciliation
siegedefense
Protection against harm
defend · guard · fortification · garrison · holding action
- lay siegeSurround to force surrender
- laying siegeSurrounding to force surrender
- siege enginesWeapons for attacking fortifications
- siege weaponDevice for attacking fortifications
- state of siegeEmergency military government control
- laid siegeSurrounded to force surrender
besiege, besieged, sieges, sieging, besieging, besieger, besiegers, siege engine, siegecraft