seal

I [[t]si͟ːl[/t]] CLOSING

♦♦♦

seals, sealing, sealed

(Please look at category 11 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.)

1) VERB When you seal an envelope, you close it by folding part of it over and sticking it down, so that it cannot be opened without being torn.

[V n] He sealed the envelope and put on a stamp...

[V n in n] Write your letter and seal it in a blank envelope...

[V-ed] A courier was despatched with two sealed envelopes.

2) VERB If you seal a container or an opening, you cover it with something in order to prevent air, liquid, or other material getting in or out. If you seal something in a container, you put it inside and then close the container tightly.

[V n] She merely filled the containers, sealed them with a cork, and pasted on labels...

[V n with in] A woman picks them up and seals them in plastic bags.

[V n with in] ...a lid to seal in heat and keep food moist.

[V-ed] ...a hermetically sealed, leak-proof packet.

3) N-COUNT The seal on a container or opening is the part where it has been sealed.

When assembling the pie, wet the edges where the two crusts join, to form a seal.

4) N-COUNT: oft N on n A seal is a device or a piece of material, for example in a machine, which closes an opening tightly so that air, liquid or other substances cannot get in or out.

Checks seals on fridges and freezers regularly.

5) N-COUNT: oft N on n A seal is something such as a piece of sticky paper or wax that is fixed to a container or door and must be broken before the container or door can be opened.

The seal on the box broke when it fell from its hiding-place...

Protestors banged on the sides of the lorry and broke customs seals on the doors.

6) N-COUNT: usu with supp A seal is a special mark or design, for example on a document, representing someone or something. It may be used to show that something is genuine or officially approved.

...a supply of note paper bearing the Presidential seal...

The best wines are entitled to a numbered seal of quality.

7) VERB If someone in authority seals an area, they stop people entering or passing through it, for example by placing barriers in the way.

[V n] The soldiers were deployed to help paramilitary police seal the border...

[V-ed] A wide area round the two-storey building is sealed to all traffic except the emergency services.

PHRASAL VERB

Seal off means the same as seal.

V P n (not pron) Police and troops sealed off the area after the attack... V n P Soldiers there are going to seal the airport off.

8) VERB To seal something means to make it definite or confirm how it is going to be. [WRITTEN]

[V n] McLaren are close to sealing a deal with Renault...

[V n] A General Election will be held which will seal his destiny one way or the other...

[V n] His artistic character was sealed by his experiences of the First World War.

9) PHRASE: V inflects If something sets or puts the seal on something, it makes it definite or confirms how it is going to be. [WRITTEN]

Such a visit may set the seal on a new relationship between the two governments...

They see this election as a chance to put the final seal on the defeat of communism.

10) PHRASE: v-link PHR, n PHR If a document is under seal, it is in a sealed envelope and cannot be looked at, for example because it is private. [FORMAL]

Because the transcript is still under seal, I am precluded by law from discussing the evidence.

11) seal of approval → see approval

to seal someone's fate → see fate

my lips are sealed → see lip

signed and sealed → see sign

Phrasal Verbs:

- seal in

- seal off

- seal up

II [[t]si͟ːl[/t]] ANIMAL

seals

N-COUNT

A seal is a large animal with a rounded body and flat legs called flippers. Seals eat fish and live in and near the sea, usually in cold parts of the world.