sitiar

to besiege

sitiar(see-tyahr)

transitive verb

1. (military)

a. to besiege

Las tropas sitiaron la ciudad, pero una epidemia las obligó a retirarse.

The troops besieged the city, but an epidemic forced them to withdraw.

b. to lay siege to

Tito y sus hombres sitiaron Jerusalén.

Titus and his men laid siege to Jerusalem.

2. (to trap)

a. to corner

Dos policías persiguieron y sitiaron al sospechoso, y finalmente lo atraparon.

Two policemen chased and cornered the suspect, and finally caught him.

b. to hem in

El señor Smith estaba sitiado por acreedores y abogados, y decidió escapar.

Mr. Smith was hemmed in by creditors and lawyers, and decided to escape.

c. to surround

Un escuadrón de elite sitió al secuestrador, que finalmente se entregó.

An elite squad surrounded the kidnapper, who finally turned himself in.