sequester
UK: /sɪˈkwɛstə/ | US: /sɪˈkwɛstər/
vt. to isolate or hide away
vt. to legally seize property until a debt is paid
vt. (chemistry) to bind or absorb a substance
The word sequester traces back to Latin sequestrare ("to place in safekeeping"), combining se- (apart) and quaerere (to seek). Originally, it referred to a trustee holding disputed property. Over time, it expanded to mean isolation (e.g., juries sequestered from public influence) and legal seizure. The chemical sense emerged later, metaphorically describing molecules "hiding" substances.
The jury was sequestered to avoid media influence.
The court ordered to sequester the defendant's assets.
Carbon capture technology aims to sequester CO2 emissions.
She sequestered herself in the library to study.
The fungus can sequester heavy metals from soil.