commandeer
UK: ˌkɒmənˈdɪə | US: ˌkɑːmənˈdɪr
vt. to seize (property, resources, or personnel) for military or official use, often forcibly
vt. to take control of something without permission, typically for one's own purposes
commandeer = command<order/control> + eer<agent suffix>
- command: From Old French comander (to order, control), derived from Latin commandare (to entrust, commit). Retains the core meaning of authoritative control.
- eer: A suffix of Dutch origin (-ier), denoting a person associated with an action (e.g., pioneer, volunteer). Here, it implies agency in seizing or controlling.
Etymology Origin:
The word emerged in 19th-century South African English during the Boer Wars, borrowing from Dutch kommanderen (to command). It originally described the forcible requisition of goods or labor by military forces. The blend of command (authority) and -eer (agent) vividly captures the act of authoritative seizure, later extending to civilian contexts.
The army commandeered civilian trucks to transport supplies.
Protesters attempted to commandeer the public square for their rally.
During the crisis, the government commandeered private hospitals.
Pirates commandeered the ship and held the crew hostage.
He commandeered the meeting to push his own agenda.