lay siege

lay siege (third-person singular simple present lays siege, present participle laying siege, simple past and past participle laid siege)

1. To besiege, to engage in a siege; used with to or against.
   • 1611, Authorized King James Version, Ezekiel 4:2,

     And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

2. (figuratively) To attack continually over a long period.

   They're laying siege to all we hold dear.

   • 2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, in BBC Sport‎:

     The Reds laid siege to the Albion goal throughout, with Jordan Henderson striking the underside of the bar and Dirk Kuyt the inside of the post.