v. [f. TERROR + -IZE.]
1. trans. To fill or inspire with terror, reduce to a state of terror; esp. to coerce or deter by terror.
1823. Douglas, or, Field of Otterburn, II. iii. 33. This was, alas! no crafty scheme to terrorize my mind.
1874. H. R. Reynolds, John Bapt., IV. v. 260. He bade them [soldiers] to terrorize no one.
1885. Clodd, Myths & Dr., I. ii. 18. Superstitions which yet more or less … terrorise the ignorant.
2. intr. To rule, or maintain power, by terrorism; to practise intimidation. (After tyrannize.)
1856. Lever, Martins of Cro’ M., xxxvii. It is one of Kate’s fancies to terrorise thus over weak minds.
1870. Daily News, 9 Sept., 6. Count Bismarck … openly … terrorized over the Prussian Chamber by relying upon the support of the army.
Hence Terrorized ppl. a.; Terrorizing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.; also Terrorization, the action of terrorizing; Terrorizer, one who terrorizes.
1889. Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, 26 Jan. The White Caps … began their cowardly and brutal work of *terrorization in the great state of Ohio.
1903. Contemp. Rev., Oct., 586. The Powers can do much by terrorisation.
1865. Sat. Rev., 22 April, 470/2. The whimpering and *terrorized suppliants against High Church domination. Ibid. (1892), 19 March, 330/1. Night gangs of masked *terrorizers.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, IV. liv. 153. It began to be common talk that among the trades-associations there was systematic *terrorising of the worst kind.
1865. Sat. Rev., 12 Aug., 194/2. A terrorizing collection of ghastly models and pseudo-medical specimens.
