/ ˈkɒnfɪskeɪt; NAmE ˈkɑːn-/ verb
[ vn ] to officially take sth away from sb, especially as a punishment :
Their land was confiscated after the war.
The teacher threatened to confiscate their phones if they kept using them in class.
► con·fis·ca·tion / ˌkɒnfɪˈskeɪʃn; NAmE ˌkɑːn-/ noun [ U , C ]
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from Latin confiscat- put away in a chest, consigned to the public treasury, from the verb confiscare , based on con- together + fiscus chest, treasury.