be·siege / biˈsēj/ • v. [tr.] surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender; lay siege to: the guerrillas continued to besiege other major cities to the north [as adj.] (besieged) the besieged city. ∎  crowd around oppressively; surround and harass: she spent the whole day besieged by newsmen. ∎  (be besieged) be inundated by large numbers of requests or complaints: the television station was besieged with calls.DERIVATIVES: be·sieg·er n.

besiege XIII. f. (by substitution of prefix BE-) ME. assiege (XIII) — OF. assegier (mod. assiéger) :- Rom. *assedicāre, f. AS- + *sedicum SIEGE.