sequester

UK: /sɪˈkwɛstə/ US: /sɪˈkwɛstɚ/ ,(si kwes′tər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

se•ques•ter /sɪˈkwɛstɚ/  v. [~ + object]

1. to remove to a place of quiet:
   to sequester oneself in the library.
2. to set apart; isolate:
   The judge sequestered the jury.

n. [countable]

3. an act or instance of sequestering.
4. a cut in government spending applying to all persons, divisions, etc.

se•ques•tra•tion /ˌsikwɛsˈtreɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

se•ques•ter  (si kwes′tər), v.t. 

1. to remove or withdraw into solitude or retirement;
   seclude.
2. to remove or separate.
3. Law to remove (property) temporarily from the possession of the owner;
   seize and hold, as the property and income of a debtor, until legal claims are satisfied.
4. Law [Internat. Law.] to requisition, hold, and control (enemy property).

• Latin sequestrāre to put in hands of a trustee, derivative of sequester trustee, depositary
• Middle English sequestren 1350–1400

se•ques′tra•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. isolate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sequester / sɪˈkwɛstə/ verb (transitive)

1. to remove or separate
2. (usually passive) to retire into seclusion
3. to take (property) temporarily out of the possession of its owner, esp until the claims of creditors are satisfied or a court order is complied with
4. to requisition or appropriate (enemy property)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Late Latin sequestrāre to surrender for safekeeping, from Latin sequester a trustee