Beleaguering

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Beleaguer \Be*lea"guer\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Beleaguered}; p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Beleaguering}.] [D. belegeren (akin to G.
     belagern, Sw. bel[aum]gra, Dan. beleire); pref. be- = E. be-
     + leger bed, camp, army, akin to E. lair. See {Lair}.]
     To surround with an army so as to preclude escape; to
     besiege; to blockade.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           The wail of famine in beleaguered towns. --Longfellow.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: To block up; environ; invest; encompass.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  beleaguering
       n : the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified
           place and isolates it while continuing to attack [syn: {siege},
            {besieging}, {military blockade}]