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Seal

//siːl// name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
A surname.
2
A village in Sevenoaks district, Kent, England.

Noun

1
A pinniped (Pinnipedia), particularly an earless seal (true seal) or eared seal.
"The seals in the harbor looked better than they smelled."
2
A stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax.
"She [Nature] carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die."
3
Ellipsis of Navy SEAL (“member of the Sea, Air, Land unit”). abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
"Enough people connected to the SEALs and the bin Laden mission have confirmed for me that the Shooter was the "number two" behind the raid's point man going up the stairs to bin Laden's third-floor residence […] The point man is the only one besides the Shooter who could verify the kill shots firsthand, and he did just that to another SEAL I spoke with."
4
any of numerous marine mammals that come on shore to breed; chiefly of cold regions wordnet
5
An impression of such stamp on wax, paper or other material used for sealing.

Show 15 more definitions

6
a device incised to make an impression; used to secure a closing or to authenticate documents wordnet
7
A facsimile of an impression of such stamp that is a mark or symbol of an office or organisation.
"The front of the podium bore the presidential seal."
8
fastener that provides a tight and perfect closure wordnet
9
Anything that secures or authenticates.
10
a finishing coat applied to exclude moisture wordnet
11
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."
12
fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm; used for sealing documents and parcels and letters wordnet
13
Confirmation or approval, or an indication of this. figuratively
"Her clothes always had her mom's seal of approval."
14
an indication of approved or superior status wordnet
15
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."
16
a stamp affixed to a document (as to attest to its authenticity or to seal it) wordnet
17
A tight closure, secure against leakage.
"Close the lid tightly to get a good seal."
18
a member of a Naval Special Warfare unit who is trained for unconventional warfare wordnet
19
A chakra.
20
the pelt or fur (especially the underfur) of a seal wordnet

Verb

1
To hunt seals. intransitive
"They're organizing a protest against sealing."
2
To place a seal on (a document). transitive
3
To tie up animals (especially cattle) in their stalls. dialectal
4
decide irrevocably wordnet
5
To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, or merchantable quality.
"to seal weights and measures"

Show 16 more definitions

6
hunt seals wordnet
7
To fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage. transitive
"The cover is sealed. If anyone tries to open it, we'll know about it."
8
cover with varnish wordnet
9
To prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something). transitive
"The border has been sealed until the fugitives are found."
10
close with or as if with a seal wordnet
11
To close securely to prevent leakage. transitive
"I've sealed the bottle to keep the contents fresh."
12
make tight; secure against leakage wordnet
13
To place in a sealed container. transitive
"I've sealed the documents in this envelope."
14
affix a seal to wordnet
15
To place a notation of one's next move in a sealed envelope to be opened after an adjournment. transitive
"After thinking for half an hour, the champion sealed his move."
16
To guarantee. transitive
"The last-minute goal sealed United’s win."
17
To fix, as a piece of iron in a wall, with cement or plaster, etc.
"Sealed to this wall by their rims were cazuelas ( earthenware bowls)."
18
To close by means of a seal.
"to seal a drainpipe with water"
19
To bind eternally as family members. Mormonism
"If a man once married desires a second helpmate […] she is sealed to him under the solemn sanction of the church."
20
To form a sacred commitment.
"What was that office, or work, to which his Father sealed him? I answer, more generally, he was sealed to the whole work of mediation for us, thereby to recover and save all the elect, whom the Father had given him:"
21
To fry (meat) at a high temperature to retain the juices. transitive
"Seal the meat and continue frying until nicely browned."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English sel, from an inflectional form of Old English seolh, from Proto-West Germanic *selh, from Proto-Germanic *selhaz (compare Scots selch,selkie, North Frisian selich, Middle Dutch seel, zēle, Old High German selah, Danish sæl, Middle Low German sale, Icelandic selur), either from Proto-Indo-European *selk- (“to pull”) (compare dialectal English sullow (“plough”)) or from early Proto-Finnic *šülkeš (later *hülgeh, compare dialectal Finnish hylki, standard hylje, Estonian hüljes).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

From Middle English sele, from Anglo-Norman seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (“sign”). Doublet of sigil and sigillum.

Etymology 4

From Middle English sele, from Anglo-Norman seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (“sign”). Doublet of sigil and sigillum.

Etymology 5

From Middle English *selen (suggested by Middle English sele (“harness; hame”)), perhaps from Old English sǣlan (“to bind”).

Etymology 6

* As an English surname, spelling variant of Sale. * As an occupational English surname, related to seal. * As an occupational English surname, from Old French sele (“saddle”). * As an English nickname-derived surname, from seal (the animal). * As a Jewish surname, spelling variant or semantic loan of Siegel.

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