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Webster 1913 Edition

Seal

Seal

(sēl)
,
Noun.
[OE.
sele
, AS.
seolh
; akin to OHG.
selah
, Dan.
sael
, Sw.
själ
, Icel.
selr
.]
(Zool.)
Any aquatic carnivorous mammal of the families
Phocidae
and
Otariidae
.
☞ Seals inhabit seacoasts, and are found principally in the higher latitudes of both hemispheres. There are numerous species, bearing such popular names as
sea lion
,
sea leopard
,
sea bear
, or
ursine seal
,
fur seal
, and
sea elephant
. The bearded seal (
Erignathus barbatus
), the hooded seal (
Cystophora cristata
), and the ringed seal (
Phoca foetida
), are northern species. See also
Eared seal
,
Harp seal
,
Monk seal
, and
Fur seal
, under
Eared
,
Harp
,
Monk
, and
Fur
. Seals are much hunted for their skins and fur, and also for their oil, which in some species is very abundant.
Harbor seal
(Zool.)
,
the common seal (
Phoca vitulina
). It inhabits both the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Ocean, and often ascends rivers; – called also
marbled seal
,
native seal
,
river seal
,
bay seal
,
land seal
,
sea calf
,
sea cat
,
sea dog
,
dotard
,
ranger
,
selchie
,
tangfish
.

Seal

,
Noun.
[OE.
seel
, OF.
seel
, F.
sceau
, fr. L.
sigillum
a little figure or image, a seal, dim. of
signum
a mark, sign, figure, or image. See
Sign
,
Noun.
, and cf.
Sigil
.]
1.
An engraved or inscribed stamp, used for marking an impression in wax or other soft substance, to be attached to a document, or otherwise used by way of authentication or security.
2.
Wax, wafer, or other tenacious substance, set to an instrument, and impressed or stamped with a seal;
as, to give a deed under hand and
seal
.
Till thou canst rail the
seal
from off my bond
Thou but offend’st thy lungs to speak so loud.
Shakespeare
3.
That which seals or fastens; esp., the wax or wafer placed on a letter or other closed paper, etc., to fasten it.
4.
That which confirms, ratifies, or makes stable; that which authenticates; that which secures; assurance.
“Under the seal of silence.”
Milton.
Like a red
seal
is the setting sun
On the good and the evil men have done.
Longfellow.
5.
An arrangement for preventing the entrance or return of gas or air into a pipe, by which the open end of the pipe dips beneath the surface of water or other liquid, or a deep bend or sag in the pipe is filled with the liquid; a draintrap.
Great seal
.
See under
Great
.
–
Privy seal
.
See under
Privy
,
Adj.
–
Seal lock
,
a lock in which the keyhole is covered by a seal in such a way that the lock can not be opened without rupturing the seal.
–
Seal manual
.
See under
Manual
,
Adj.
–
Seal ring
,
a ring having a seal engraved on it, or ornamented with a device resembling a seal; a signet ring.
Shak.

Seal

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sealed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sealing
.]
[OE.
selen
; cf. OF.
seeler
,
seieler
, F.
sceller
, LL.
sigillare
. See
Seal
a stamp.]
1.
To set or affix a seal to; hence, to authenticate; to confirm; to ratify; to establish;
as, to
seal
a deed
.
And with my hand I
seal
my true heart's love.
Shakespeare
2.
To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, or merchantable quality;
as, to
seal
weights and measures; to
seal
silverware
.
3.
To fasten with a seal; to attach together with a wafer, wax, or other substance causing adhesion;
as, to
seal
a letter
.
4.
Hence, to shut close; to keep close; to make fast; to keep secure or secret.
Seal
up your lips, and give no words but “mum”.
Shakespeare
5.
To fix, as a piece of iron in a wall, with cement, plaster, or the like.
Gwilt.
6.
To close by means of a seal;
as, to
seal
a drainpipe with water
. See 2d
Seal
, 5.
7.
Among the Mormons, to confirm or set apart as a second or additional wife.
[Utah, U.S.]
If a man once married desires a second helpmate . . . she is
sealed
to him under the solemn sanction of the church.
H. Stansbury.

Seal

,
Verb.
I.
To affix one's seal, or a seal.
[Obs.]
I will
seal
unto this bond.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Seal

SEAL

,
Noun.
The common name for the species of the genus Phoca. These animals are ampibious, most of the inhabiting the sea coasts, particularly in the higher latitudes. They have six cutting teeth in the upper jaw, and four in the lower. Their hind feet are placed at the extremity of the body, in the same diretion with it, and serve the purpose of a caudal fin; the fore feet are also adapted for swimming, and furmished each with five claws; the external ears are either very small or wanting. There are numerous species; as the leonina, sometimes 18 feet in length, and the jubata, sometimes 25 feet in length, with a name like a lion, both called sea-lion, and found in the southern seas, and alo in the N. Pacific; the ursina, or sea bear, 8 or 9 feet in length, and covered with long, thick bristly hair, found in the N. Pacifac; and the common seal frome 4 to 6 feet in length, found generally throughout the Atlantic and the seas and bays communicating with it, covered with short, stiff, glossy hair, with a smooth head without external ears, and with the fore legs deeply immersed in the skin. Seals are much sought after for their skins and fur.

SEAL

,
Noun.
[L. sigillum.]
1. A piece of metal or other hard substance, usually round or oval, on which is ingraved some image or device, and sometimes a legend or inscription. This is used by idividuals, corporate bodies and states, for making impressions on wax upon instuments of writing, as an evidence of their authenticity. The king of England has his seal and his privy seal. Seals are sometimes worn in rings.

Definition 2024

seal

seal

See also: SEAL

English

A leopard seal.

Noun

seal ‎(plural seals)

  1. A pinniped (Pinnipedia), 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
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 such stamp on wax, paper or other material used for sealing.
  3. (Discuss(+) this sense) A design or insignia 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. To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, or merchantable quality.
    to seal weights and measures; to seal silverware
  3. (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.
  4. (transitive) To prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something).
    The border has been sealed until the fugitives are found.
  5. (transitive) To close securely to prevent leakage.
    I've sealed the bottle to keep the contents fresh.
    • Shakespeare
      Seal up your lips, and give no words but "mum".
  6. (transitive) To place in a sealed container.
    I've sealed the documents in this envelope.
  7. (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.
  8. (transitive) To guarantee.
    The last-minute goal sealed United's win.
  9. To fix, as a piece of iron in a wall, with cement or plaster, etc.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Gwilt to this entry?)
  10. To close by means of a seal.
    to seal a drainpipe with water
  11. (Mormonism) To confirm or set apart as a second or additional wife.
    • H. Stansbury
      If a man once married desires a second helpmate […] she is sealed to him under the solemn sanction of the church.
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

Estonian

Pronoun

seal

  1. there

Noun

seal

  1. adessive case of siga.

West Frisian

Noun

seal n

  1. saddle

Noun

seal c

  1. hall

Etymology

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- ‎(“to pull”) (compare dialectal English sullow ‎(“plough”)) or from early Proto-Finnic šülkeš (later *hülgeh, compare dialectal Finnish hylki, standard hylje, Estonian hüljes). More at sullow.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: sēl, IPA(key): /siːl/
  • Rhymes: -iːl
  • Homophones: SEAL, ceil

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