a military operation in which an army tries to capture a town by surrounding it and stopping the supply of food, etc. to the people inside （军队对城镇的）围困，包围，围攻，封锁 the siege of Troy 特洛伊之围 The siege was finally lifted (= ended) after six months. 六个月后封锁最终解除了。 The police placed the city centre under a virtual state of siege (= it was hard to get in or out). 警方可说是已封锁了市中心。
Extra ExamplesThe royal forces marched south to lift the siege of Donnington Castle. 皇家部队向南挺进以解唐宁顿城堡之围。 This fortress could withstand a siege for years if necessary. 在不得已的时候，这座堡垒能抵挡住多年的围攻。 The siege lasted two years. 这次围攻持续了两年。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- lengthy
- long
- prolonged
- …
- lay
- break
- end
- …
- last
- begin
- end
- …
- warfare
- engine
- tower
- …
- at a/the siege
- during a/the siege
- under siege
- …
- a state of siege
a situation in which the police surround a building where people are living or hiding, in order to make them come out （警察对建筑物的）包围，封锁 The siege was finally brought to an end when the terrorists surrendered. 当恐怖分子投降时，包围终于结束了。
Extra ExamplesTopics Law and justicec2The seven-hour armed siege at the school ended peacefully. 对这所学校长达 7 小时的武装封锁以和平方式结束。 The terrorists were shot dead during the siege of the embassy. 在围攻大使馆的过程中恐怖分子被击毙。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- lengthy
- long
- prolonged
- …
- lay
- break
- end
- …
- last
- begin
- end
- …
- warfare
- engine
- tower
- …
- at a/the siege
- during a/the siege
- under siege
- …
- a state of siege
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French sege, from asegier ‘besiege’.
Idioms
lay siege to something
to begin a siege of a town, building, etc. 围困，围攻（城镇、建筑物等） The crusaders laid siege to Lisbon. 十字军围攻里斯本。 The English forces laid siege to the city of Tournai. 英国军队包围了图尔奈城。
to surround a building, especially in order to speak to or question the person or people living or working there 包围（某建筑物，旨在和里面的人对话或质询） Crowds of journalists laid siege to the star’s apartment. 成群的记者包围了明星的公寓。
under siege
surrounded by an army or the police in a siege 被包围；被围困；被封锁 The city was under siege for six months. 这座城市被围困了六个月。 At the very end of the war, Prague again came under siege. 战争就快结束时，布拉格再次处于包围之中。
being criticized all the time or put under pressure by problems, questions, etc. 一再遭到批评的；受…困扰的 The government is already under siege for its economic policy. 政府已经因其经济政策而受到围攻。 Under military and economic siege, entire economic sectors have collapsed. 在军事和经济封锁下，整个经济已经崩溃。