SEAL

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does SEAL mean? 

• SEAL (noun)
  The noun SEAL has 9 senses:

1. fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm; used for sealing documents and parcels and letters

2. a device incised to make an impression; used to secure a closing or to authenticate documents

3. the pelt or fur (especially the underfur) of a seal

4. a member of a Naval Special Warfare unit who is trained for unconventional warfare

5. a stamp affixed to a document (as to attest to its authenticity or to seal it)

6. an indication of approved or superior status

7. a finishing coat applied to exclude moisture

8. fastener that provides a tight and perfect closure

9. any of numerous marine mammals that come on shore to breed; chiefly of cold regions

  Familiarity information: SEAL used as a noun is familiar.

• SEAL (verb)
  The verb SEAL has 6 senses:

1. make tight; secure against leakage

2. close with or as if with a seal

3. decide irrevocably

4. affix a seal to

5. cover with varnish

6. hunt seals

  Familiarity information: SEAL used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SEAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm; used for sealing documents and parcels and letters

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

seal; sealing wax

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

fastener; fastening; fixing; holdfast (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)

Meronyms (substance of "seal"):

lac (resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects; used in e.g. varnishes and sealing wax)

Derivation:

seal (affix a seal to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A device incised to make an impression; used to secure a closing or to authenticate documents

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

seal; stamp

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

device (any ornamental pattern or design (as in embroidery))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seal"):

bulla (the round leaden seal affixed to a papal bull)

cachet (a seal on a letter)

great seal (the principal seal of a government, symbolizing authority or sovereignty)

handstamp; rubber stamp (a stamp (usually made of rubber) for imprinting a mark or design by hand)

signet (a seal (especially one used to mark documents officially))

Derivation:

seal (close with or as if with a seal)

seal (affix a seal to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The pelt or fur (especially the underfur) of a seal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

seal; sealskin

Context example:

a coat of seal

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

fur; pelt (the dressed hairy coat of a mammal)

Derivation:

seal (hunt seals)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A member of a Naval Special Warfare unit who is trained for unconventional warfare

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Navy SEAL; SEAL

Context example:

SEAL is an acronym for Sea Air and Land

Hypernyms ("SEAL" is a kind of...):

bluejacket; navy man; sailor; sailor boy (a serviceman in the navy)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Holonyms ("SEAL" is a member of...):

Naval Special Warfare; NSW (the agency that provides units to conduct unconventional and counter-guerilla warfare)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A stamp affixed to a document (as to attest to its authenticity or to seal it)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the warrant bore the sheriff's seal

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

impression; stamp (a symbol that is the result of printing or engraving)

Derivation:

seal (close with or as if with a seal)

seal (affix a seal to)

Sense 6

Meaning:

An indication of approved or superior status

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

cachet; seal; seal of approval

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

accolade; award; honor; honour; laurels (a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction)

Derivation:

seal (decide irrevocably)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A finishing coat applied to exclude moisture

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

coat; coating (a thin layer covering something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seal"):

undercoat; underseal (seal consisting of a coating of a tar or rubberlike material on the underside of a motor vehicle to retard corrosion)

Derivation:

seal (cover with varnish)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Fastener that provides a tight and perfect closure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

fastener; fastening; fixing; holdfast (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seal"):

gasket (seal consisting of a ring for packing pistons or sealing a pipe joint)

washer (seal consisting of a flat disk placed to prevent leakage)

piston ring (seal consisting of a split metal ring that seals the gap between a piston and the cylinder wall)

break seal (a seal that must be broken when first used and cannot easily be resealed)

Derivation:

seal (make tight; secure against leakage)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Any of numerous marine mammals that come on shore to breed; chiefly of cold regions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("seal" is a kind of...):

pinnatiped; pinniped; pinniped mammal (aquatic carnivorous mammal having a streamlined body specialized for swimming with limbs modified as flippers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "seal"):

eared seal (pinniped mammal having external ear flaps and hind limbs used for locomotion on land; valued for its soft underfur)

earless seal; hair seal; true seal (any of several seals lacking external ear flaps and having a stiff hairlike coat with hind limbs reduced to swimming flippers)

crab-eating seal; crabeater seal (silvery grey Antarctic seal subsisting on crustaceans)

Derivation:

seal (hunt seals)

• SEAL (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make tight; secure against leakage

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

seal; seal off

Context example:

seal the windows

Hypernyms (to "seal" is one way to...):

close; shut (move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut)

Verb group:

seal (close with or as if with a seal)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seal"):

reseal (seal again)

waterproof (make watertight)

calk; caulk (seal with caulking)

pack (seal with packing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They want to seal the doors

Derivation:

seal (fastener that provides a tight and perfect closure)

sealant; sealer (a kind of sealing material that is used to form a hard coating on a porous surface (as a coat of paint or varnish used to size a surface))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Close with or as if with a seal

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

She sealed the letter with hot wax

Hypernyms (to "seal" is one way to...):

close; fill up (fill or stop up)

"Seal" entails doing...:

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Verb group:

seal; seal off (make tight; secure against leakage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

unseal (break the seal of)

Derivation:

seal (a device incised to make an impression; used to secure a closing or to authenticate documents)

seal (a stamp affixed to a document (as to attest to its authenticity or to seal it))

sealant (a kind of sealing material that is used to form a hard coating on a porous surface (as a coat of paint or varnish used to size a surface))

sealer (an official who affixes a seal to a document)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Decide irrevocably

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

sealing dooms

Hypernyms (to "seal" is one way to...):

decide; determine; make up one's mind (reach, make, or come to a decision about something)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

seal (an indication of approved or superior status)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Affix a seal to

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

seal the letter

Hypernyms (to "seal" is one way to...):

affix; stick on (attach to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

seal (a device incised to make an impression; used to secure a closing or to authenticate documents)

seal (fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm; used for sealing documents and parcels and letters)

seal (a stamp affixed to a document (as to attest to its authenticity or to seal it))

sealer (an official who affixes a seal to a document)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cover with varnish

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

seal; varnish

Hypernyms (to "seal" is one way to...):

coat; surface (put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "seal"):

shellac; shellack (cover with shellac)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sealant (a kind of sealing material that is used to form a hard coating on a porous surface (as a coat of paint or varnish used to size a surface))

sealing (the act of treating something to make it repel water)

sealer (a kind of sealing material that is used to form a hard coating on a porous surface (as a coat of paint or varnish used to size a surface))

seal (a finishing coat applied to exclude moisture)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Hunt seals

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "seal" is one way to...):

hunt; hunt down; run; track down (pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

In the summer they like to go out and seal

Derivation:

seal (any of numerous marine mammals that come on shore to breed; chiefly of cold regions)

seal (the pelt or fur (especially the underfur) of a seal)

 Context examples 

“Don’t you see there, in the stern-sheets, on the bottom? May I never shoot a seal again if that ain’t a woman!”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

On this his lips are sealed.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In his own mind his affair with Ruth was closed and sealed.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

This letter I sealed and laid upon his desk before he returned; and when he came in, I saw him, through the half-opened door of his room, take it up and read it.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

When you find anything of the solicitor who is for the late Mrs. Westenra, seal all her papers, and write him to-night.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Seals, whales and other marine animals can hear under water.

(Marine Birds Can Hear Under Water, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

This process may be used to kill certain types of small tumors or to seal off blood vessels to stop bleeding.

(Cauterize, NCI Dictionary)

Lanyon, you remember your vows: what follows is under the seal of our profession.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The oval seal is undoubtedly a plain sleeve-link—what else is of such a shape?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was tied securely with a broad band of purple silk, and firmly sealed at either end with a large red seal.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)