se·ques·ter 1 /si-'kwes-tər/ vt -tered, -ter·ing [Anglo-French sequestrer, from Middle French, from Latin sequestrare to hand over to a trustee, from sequester third party to whom disputed property is entrusted, agent, from secus beside, otherwise]
1: to place (as a jury or witness) in seclusion or isolation
◇ Juries are sequestered in order to preserve their impartiality. Witnesses are sequestered so that their testimony is not influenced by the testimony of prior witnesses.
2 a: to seize esp. by a writ of sequestration
b: to deposit (property) in sequestration
sequester 2 n: sequestration (3)
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.