Obs. Forms: 3–4 asege, 4 aseege, 4–6 assege, 5–6 -yege, 6 -aige, -eige, 5–7 assiege. [a. OF. asegier (mod. assiéger), cogn. with Pr. assetiar, assetjar, Sp. asediar, It. assediare:—late L. assediāre f. as- = ad- to, at + sedium (cf. obsidium) sitting, SIEGE.] To besiege, lay siege to, beleaguer, beset.
1297. R. Glouc., 184. Kyng Arture and ys poer aseged hym wyþoute.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 23. And how asegid was Ypolita The faire hardy quyen of Cithea.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 158/3. They had assyeged Jherusalem.
1522–4. Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 8. And assaigit the castell of Wark.
1632. J. Hayward, Eromena, 160. She was assieged, and in danger to bee lost.
