seal

See also 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

A leopard seal.

seal (plural seals)

  1. A pinniped, particularly an earless seal (true seal) or eared seal.
    The seals in the harbor looked better than they smelled.
Hyponyms
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

seal (third-person singular simple present seals, present participle sealing, simple past and past participle sealed)

  1. (intransitive) To hunt seals
    They're organizing a protest against sealing.
Synonyms
  • (hunt seals): go sealing
Translations

See also

Etymology 2

A seal on a diploma

From Anglo-Norman, from Old French seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (sign)

Noun

US presidential seal

seal (plural seals)

  1. A stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax.
  2. An impression of a stamp on wax or paper.
  3. (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.
  4. Anything that secures or authenticates.
  5. (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.
  6. Confirmation or an indication of confirmation.
    Her clothes always had her mom's seal of approval.
  7. 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.
  8. A tight closure, secure against leakage.
    Close the lid tightly to get a good seal.
  9. A chakra.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

See also

Verb

seal (third-person singular simple present seals, present participle sealing, simple past and past participle sealed)

  1. (transitive) To place a seal on (a document).
  2. (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.
  3. (transitive) To prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something).
    The border has been sealed until the fugitives are found.
  4. (transitive) To close securely to prevent leakage.
    I've sealed the bottle to keep the contents fresh.
  5. (transitive) To place in a sealed container.
    I've sealed the documents in this envelope.
  6. (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.
  7. (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)

  1. (dialectal) To tie up animals (especially cattle) in their stalls.

Anagrams


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Estonian

Pronoun

seal

  1. there

Noun

seal

  1. adessive case of siga.

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West Frisian

Noun

seal n

  1. saddle

seal c

  1. hall
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Last modified on 19 May 2013, at 19:58