Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Confiscate \Con"fis*cate\ (? or ?), a. [L. confiscatus, p. p. of
   confiscare to confiscate, prop., to lay up in a chest; con- +
   fiscus basket, purse, treasury. See {Fiscal}.]
   Seized and appropriated by the government to the public use;
   forfeited.

         Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. --Shak.

Confiscate \Con"fis*cate\ (? or ?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   {Confiscated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Confiscating}.]
   To seize as forfeited to the public treasury; to appropriate
   to the public use.

         It was judged that he should be banished and his whole
         estate confiscated and seized.           --Bacon.

Source : WordNet®

confiscate
     adj 1: surrendered as a penalty [syn: {forfeit}, {forfeited}]
     2: taken without permission or consent especially by public
        authority; "the condemned land was used for a highway
        cloverleaf"; "the confiscated liquor was poured down the
        drain" [syn: {appropriated}, {condemned}, {confiscated}, {seized},
         {taken over}]

confiscate
     v : take temporary possession of as a security, by legal
         authority; "The FBI seized the drugs"; "The customs
         agents impounded the illegal shipment"; "The police
         confiscated the stolen artwork" [syn: {impound}, {attach},
          {sequester}, {seize}]