seal
English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Middle English sele, from an inflectional form of Old English seolh, from Proto-Germanic *selhaz (compare North Frisian selich, Middle Dutch seel, zēle, Old High German selah, Danish sæl, Middle Low German sale), either from Proto-Indo-European *selk, *solk 'to pull' (compare English dialect sullow 'plough') or from Finno-Ugric *šülke (compare Finnish dialect hylki, standard hylje, Estonian hüljes). More at sullow.
Noun
seal (plural seals)
- A pinniped, particularly an earless seal (true seal) or eared seal.
- The seals in the harbor looked better than they smelled.
Hyponyms
- See also Wikisaurus:pinniped
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb
seal (third-person singular simple present seals, present participle sealing, simple past and past participle sealed)
- (intransitive) To hunt seals
- They're organizing a protest against sealing.
Synonyms
- (hunt seals): go sealing
Translations
See also
Etymology 2
From Anglo-Norman, from Old French seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (“sign”)
Noun
seal (plural seals)
- A stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax.
- An impression of a stamp on wax or paper.
- (Discuss(+) this sense) A design or ensignia usually associated with an organization or an official role.
- The front of the podium bore the presidential seal.
- Anything that secures or authenticates.
- (Discuss(+) this sense) Something which will be visibly damaged if a covering or container is opened, and which may or may not bear an official design.
- The result was declared invalid, as the seal on the meter had been broken.
- Confirmation or an indication of confirmation.
- Her clothes always had her mom's seal of approval.
- Something designed to prevent liquids or gases from leaking through a joint.
- The canister is leaking. I think the main seal needs to be replaced.
- A tight closure, secure against leakage.
- Close the lid tightly to get a good seal.
- A chakra.
Derived terms
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Related terms
- aseal, asseal
- enseal
Translations
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See also
Seal (device) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Seal (device)
Verb
seal (third-person singular simple present seals, present participle sealing, simple past and past participle sealed)
- (transitive) To place a seal on (a document).
- (transitive) To fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage.
- The cover is sealed. If anyone tries to open it, we'll know about it.
- (transitive) To prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something).
- The border has been sealed until the fugitives are found.
- (transitive) To close securely to prevent leakage.
- I've sealed the bottle to keep the contents fresh.
- (transitive) To place in a sealed container.
- I've sealed the documents in this envelope.
- (transitive, chess) To place a notation of one's next move in a sealed envelope to be opened after an adjournment.
- After thinking for half an hour, the champion sealed his move.
- (transitive) To guarantee
- The last-minute goal sealed United's win.
Synonyms
- (place a seal on):
- (fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage):
- (prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something)): block, block off, close, close off, obstruct, seal off
- (close securely to prevent leakage):
- (place in a sealed container): enclose
- (chess term):
Derived terms
Translations
See also
Etymology 3
From Old English sǣlan (“to bind”).
Verb
seal (third-person singular simple present seals, present participle sealing, simple past and past participle sealed)
- (dialectal) To tie up animals (especially cattle) in their stalls.