1 With regard to acts by a government entity, to take private property without just compensation 2 To seize goods or property and divest the owner of his or her proprietary rights usually as a result of some violation of the law involving the goods or property seized BACK TO TOP
take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority; "The FBI seized the drugs"; "The customs agents impounded the illegal shipment"; "The police confiscated the stolen artwork"
taken without permission or consent especially by public authority; "the condemned land was used for a highway cloverleaf"; "the confiscated liquor was poured down the drain"
to take (a possession) away from someone, usually as a punishment and often for a limited period, after which it is returned to the owner
If you confiscate something from someone, you take it away from them, usually as a punishment. There is concern that police use the law to confiscate assets from people who have committed minor offences They confiscated weapons, ammunition and propaganda material. = seize + confiscation confiscations con·fis·ca·tion The new laws allow the confiscation of assets purchased with proceeds of the drugs trade. = seizure. to officially take private property away from someone, usually as a punishment (past participle of confiscare, from com- ( COM-) + fiscus ( FISCAL))