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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

confiscate

Verb

IPA /ˈkɒnfɪskeɪt/

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Meaning in plain English

To take something away officially, usually because a rule has been broken.

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Pronunciation

confiscate/ˈkɒnfɪskeɪt/

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  1. An item is used against the rules

  2. An authority takes it away

To confiscate something is to take it away officially because of a rule or law.

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  1. The referee confiscated the banned whistle from a spectator.
  2. The teacher confiscated a phone that was being used during the test.

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To take something away officially, usually because a rule has been broken.
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confiscate — To take something away officially, usually because a rule has been broken.

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To take something away officially, usually because a rule has been broken.

Compare: The referee confiscated the banned whistle from a spectator.

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Word origin

From Latin confiscare, associated with placing property in the public treasury.

Did you know?

Confiscate commonly takes items such as phones, equipment or property as its object.

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confiscate

/ˈkɒnfɪskeɪt/ (Verb)

“The person confiscating something acts with authority. An ordinary theft is not described this way.”

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