apoderar

Catalan

Verb

apoderar (first-person singular present apodero, first-person singular preterite apoderí, past participle apoderat)

1. To overpower
2. to seize

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Portuguese

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Galician-Portuguese apoderar, corresponding to a- +‎ poder (“power”) +‎ -ar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.ˌpo.de.ˈɾa(ʁ)/

Verb

1. (takes a reflexive pronoun, transitive with de) to seize (to take possession of)

   O imperador apoderou-se dos territórios vizinhos.

   The emperor seized neighbouring territories.

2. (figurative, takes a reflexive pronoun, transitive with de) to seize (to have a sudden and powerful effect upon)

   Não posso deixar o medo apoderar-se de mim.

   I can’t let fear seize me.

Synonyms

• (to take possession of): tomar posse de
• (to have a powerful effect upon): dominar, controlar, tomar conta de

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Spanish

Etymology

a- +‎ poder (“power”) +‎ -ar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /apodeˈɾaɾ/ [a.po.ð̞eˈɾaɾ]

Verb

1. to empower
2. (reflexive) to seize, to gain, to get hold of, to get one's hands on (+ de)
3. (reflexive) to take control of, to take possession of (+ de)

Derived terms

• apoderado
• apoderamiento

Related terms

• apoderarse

Further reading

• “apoderar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014