transitive verb (past and past participlecon·fis·cat·ed, present participlecon·fis·cat·ing, 3rd person present singularcon·fis·cates)
Definition:
1. take something away: to take somebody's property with authority, or appropriate property for personal use as if with authority I'll confiscate that ruler if you don't stop playing with it.
2. take something as legal penalty: to seize property legally forfeited to the public treasury as a penalty The goods were confiscated by customs.
adjective
Definition:
1. taken by authority: taken legally, or forfeited
2. having forfeited property: having had property taken away legally or by forfeiture
[Mid-16th century. < Latin confiscat-, past participle of confiscare "appropriate for the public treasury" < fiscus "purse, treasury"]
