confiscate
Translation
to confiscate, to seize
Examples
The teacher will confiscate your phone.
The teacher will confiscate your phone.
They confiscated drugs from the smugglers.
They confiscated drugs from the smugglers.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to take sth. away from sb. as a punishment The teacher will confiscate your phone.
((sth.)) ((from sb.)) to take sth. away from sb. officially They confiscated drugs from the smugglers.
Similar Words
Synonyms: seize, impound, expropriate; Antonyms: return, release
Etymology
From Latin 'con-' (together) + 'fiscus' (public treasury). Literally 'to put into the treasury'.
Memory Tips
Imagine an official taking something to put it 'in the fist' of the government's treasury ('fiscus').