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3. seize on

seize on

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seize (up)on something

 

1. Lit. to grasp something tightly. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) Dave seized upon the knob of the door and yanked hard. I seized on the railing and held on tight.

2. Fig. to accept or adopt something, such as a plan, idea, etc. I heard her ideas and seized upon them immediately. The committee seized on my plan at once.

See also: on, seize

seize on

Also, seize upon.

1. Grab or take hold of suddenly, as in He seized on the bell rope and started to pull vigorously, or She seized upon every opportunity to present her side of the story. [Late 1600s]

2. Resort to some action, especially out of dire necessity, as in He seized upon any excuse, no matter how farfetched.

See also: on, seize

seize on

or seize upon

v.

To take notice of something, especially because it can be used to one's advantage: The newspapers seized on the mayor's foolish remark and said that he wasn't fit for the job.

See also: on, seize