Seal Definition

sēl

sealed, sealing, seals

noun

seals

A design, initial, or other device placed on a letter, document, etc., as a mark of genuineness or authenticity: letters were, esp. formerly, closed with a wafer of molten wax into which was pressed the distinctive seal of the sender.

Webster's New World

A device or material that is used to close off or fasten an opening or connection, especially to prevent the escape of a liquid or gas.

Used caulk as a seal around the window.

American Heritage

A tight closure, as against the passage of air or water.

Webster's New World

Something that seals, closes, or fastens tightly or securely; specif., a piece of metal, paper, etc. so placed over a lid, cap, etc. that it must be broken before the container can be opened.

Webster's New World

A stamp, signet ring, etc., or the signet itself, used in making such a design.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
refusal
disapproval

verb

sealed, sealing, seals

To mark with a seal; fix a seal to.

Webster's New World

To hunt seals.

Webster's New World

To secure the contents of (a letter, envelope, etc.), orig. by closing with a sealed wax wafer, now usually with mucilage, tape, or a gummed flap.

Webster's New World

To prevent (a liquid or gas) from escaping.

Charring a piece of meat seals in the juices.

American Heritage

To cover, secure, or fill up (an opening).

Sealed the hole in the pipe with epoxy.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

abbreviation

Sea, Air, Land (used as a name of a military unit)

Wiktionary

A member of the Navy SEALs.

Wiktionary

idiom

(one's) lips are sealed

Used to indicate that one will not disclose a piece of information.

American Heritage

under seal

Having an impression or emblem attesting to a document's authenticity and reliability.

American Heritage

seal off

to close completely
to enclose or surround (an area, etc.) with barriers, a cordon, etc.

Webster's New World

set one's seal to

to mark with one's seal
to endorse; approve

Webster's New World

under (one's) seal

in a document authenticated by one's seal

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Seal

Noun

Singular:

seal

Plural:

seals

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Seal

(one's) lips are sealed
under seal
seal off
set one's seal to
under (one's) seal

Origin of Seal

Middle English sele, from an inflectional form of Old English seolh, from Proto-Germanic *selhaz (compare North Frisian selich, Middle Dutch seel, zÄ“le, Old High German selah, Danish sæl, Middle Low German sale), either from Proto-Indo-European *selk, *solk 'to pull' (compare dialectal English sullow 'plough') or from Finno-Ugric *šülke (compare dialectal Finnish hylki, standard hylje, Estonian hüljes). More at sullow.

From Wiktionary
Middle English die or signet for stamping an impression from Old French seel from Vulgar Latin sigellum from Latin sigillum diminutive of signum sign, seal sekw-¹ in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Anglo-Norman, from Old French seel, from Latin sigillum, a diminutive of signum (“sign")

From Wiktionary
Middle English sele from Old English seolh

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old English sÇ£lan (“to bind").

From Wiktionary