seal1 nounseal2 verb
sealseal1 /siːl/ ●●○ S3 noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINseal1
Origin:
1 Old English seolh2-6 1100-1200 Old French seel, from Latin sigillum, from signum; ➔ SIGN1EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- an airtight seal
- Check that the seal on the medicine has not been broken.
- stationery decorated with the Texas state seal
- Most of the seals were nevertheless made of bone, ivory, steatite, banded agate, or orange carnelian.
- The Tories' overwhelming victory in 1987 appeared to set the seal upon the triumph of bourgeois capitalism.
- This is the reason you will notice jar lids advertising airtight seals and warning against consumption when the seal is broken.
- To the old farm for lunch, but what about the seals?
- We will be protecting and reinforcing the existing sewer with an additional concrete seal around it.
WORD SETS
aardvark, nounadder, nounAfghan, nounalley cat, nounalligator, nounalpaca, nounAlsatian, nounamphibian, nounamphibious, adjectiveangora, nounanimal, nounanteater, nounantelope, nounanthropoid, adjectiveantler, nounape, nounappaloosa, nounarachnid, nounarmadillo, nounasp, nounass, nounbaa, verbbaboon, nounbaby, nounbadger, nounbantam, nounbark, verbbark, nounbarnacle, nounbasset, nounbat, nounbay, nounbay, verbbay, adjectivebeagle, nounbear, nounbeast, nounbeast of burden, nounbeaver, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounbelly, nounbig cat, nounbig game, nounbighorn sheep, nounbilly goat, nounbiped, nounbison, nounbitch, nounbivalve, nounbleat, verbbloodhound, nounbloodstream, nounblow-hole, nounboa, nounboar, nounbobcat, nounbovine, adjectivebow-wow, nounboxer, nounbrainwave, nounbrindled, adjectivebristle, verbbronc, nounbronco, nounbrontosaurus, nounbrush, nounbuck, nounbuffalo, nounbull, nounbulldog, nounbullfrog, nounbullock, nounbull terrier, nounburro, nounburrow, nouncalf, nouncall, nouncalve, verbcamel, nouncanine, adjectivecanine, nouncarapace, nouncarcass, nouncaribou, nouncarnivore, nouncarthorse, nouncat, nouncattle, nouncaudal, adjectivecayman, nouncetacean, nounchameleon, nounchamois, nouncheetah, nounchestnut, nounchickadee, nounchicken, nounchihuahua, nounchimpanzee, nounchinchilla, nounchipmunk, nounchow, nounclaw, nouncloven hoof, nouncoat, nouncob, nouncobra, nouncocker spaniel, nouncold-blooded, adjectivecollie, nouncolouring, nouncolt, nouncomb, nounconnective tissue, nouncony, nouncoon, nouncopperhead, nouncorgi, nouncougar, nouncourtship, nouncow, nouncoyote, nouncoypu, nouncrest, nouncrocodile, nouncrop, verbcrustacean, nouncry, nouncub, nouncur, noundachshund, nounDalmatian, noundeer, nounden, noundentine, noundingo, noundinosaur, noundoe, noundog, noundolphin, noundomesticate, verbdonkey, noundormouse, noundorsal, adjectivedromedary, nounduckbilled platypus, nounearthworm, nounelephant, nounelk, nounentrails, nounermine, nounewe, nounexcreta, nounexcretion, nounfallopian tube, nounfallow deer, nounfang, nounfauna, nounfawn, nounfeed, nounfeeler, nounfeline, adjectivefeline, nounfemale, adjectivefemale, nounferal, adjectiveferret, nounfetlock, nounfieldmouse, nounfilly, nounfin, nounfleece, nounflipper, nounflying fox, nounfoal, nounfoal, verbfoetus, nounforefoot, nounforeleg, nounfox, nounfoxhound, nounfox terrier, nounFriesian, nounfrog, nounfrogspawn, nounfruit bat, nounfur, nounfurry, adjectivegarter snake, noungazelle, noungecko, noungeese, gelding, noungerbil, nounGerman shepherd, noungestation, noungiant panda, noungibbon, noungiraffe, noungnu, noungoat, noungolden retriever, noungopher, noungorilla, noungregarious, adjectivegreyhound, noungroundhog, nounground squirrel, noungrunt, verbguinea pig, nounhack, nounhackles, nounhairless, adjectivehamster, nounhare, nounhart, nounhaunch, nounhedgehog, nounheifer, nounhen, nounherbivore, nounherd, nounhermit crab, nounhibernate, verbhind, adjectivehind, nounhindquarters, nounhippo, nounhippopotamus, nounhock, nounhog, nounhoof, nounhorned, adjectivehorse, nounhound, nounhowl, verbhump, nounhusky, nounhyaena, nounhybrid, nounhyena, nounibex, nouniguana, nounimpala, nouninbred, adjectiveinbreeding, nouninsectivore, nouninterbreed, verbinvertebrate, nounjackal, nounjackrabbit, nounjaguar, nounjellyfish, nounJersey, nounkangaroo, nounkid, nounkoala, nounkookaburra, nounLabrador, nounlair, nounlamb, nounlemming, nounleopard, nounlion, nounlioness, nounlitter, nounlitter, verblizard, nounllama, nounlonghorn, nounlugworm, nounlynx, nounmale, nounmamba, nounmammal, nounmammary, adjectivemammoth, nounmandible, nounmandrill, nounmane, nounman-eater, nounmare, nounmarmoset, nounmarsupial, nounmarten, nounmastitis, nounmate, nounmate, verbmating, nounmaw, nounmenagerie, nounmew, verbmiaow, verbmice, nounmigrant, nounmilk, verbmimic, verbmimic, nounmink, nounmole, nounmollusc, nounmongoose, nounmongrel, nounmonkey, nounmoo, verbmoose, nounmoult, verbmountain goat, nounmountain lion, nounmouse, nounmule, nounmuskrat, nounmussel, nounmustang, nounmutt, nounmuzzle, nounnag, nounnanny goat, nounnative, adjectivenative, nounnest, nounnewt, nounnocturnal, adjectiveocelot, nounoctopus, nounoffspring, nounoink, interjectionokapi, nounOld English sheepdog, nounomnivore, nounomnivorous, adjectiveopossum, nounorangutang, nounotter, nounox, nounpachyderm, nounpack, nounpad, nounpair, nounpanda, nounpanther, nounparasite, nounparasitic, adjectivepaw, nounpaw, verbpeccary, nounpedigree, adjectivepeke, nounPekinese, nounpelt, nounPersian cat, nounpest, nounpheasant, nounpiebald, adjectivepied, adjectivepig, nounpiggy, nounpiglet, nounpincer, nounpine marten, nounpinto, nounpit bull terrier, nounpit pony, nounplankton, nounplate, nounplatypus, nounpointer, nounpolar bear, nounpolecat, nounpolyp, nounpony, nounpooch, nounpoodle, nounporcupine, nounporker, nounporpoise, nounPortuguese man-of-war, nounpossum, nounpouch, nounprairie dog, nounprance, verbpredation, nounpredator, nounpredatory, adjectiveprehensile, adjectiveprey, nounprickle, nounpride, nounprimate, nounproboscis, nounprocreate, verbprowl, verbpterodactyl, nounpuffin, nounpug, nounpullet, nounpuma, nounpup, nounpurebred, adjectivepurr, verbpussy, nounpython, nounquack, verbquadruped, nounquill, nounrabbit, nounrabbit warren, nounrabid, adjectiveraccoon, nounracoon, nounram, nounrat, nounrattler, nounrattlesnake, nounravening, adjectivereindeer, nounreptile, nounretract, verbretriever, nounrhesus monkey, nounrhino, nounrhinoceros, nounroan, nounrodent, nounroe deer, nounrottweiler, nounruminant, nounruminate, verbrump, nounrunt, nounrut, nounsable, nounsac, nounsalamander, nounsausage dog, nounscavenge, verbschool, nounscorpion, nounseal, nounsea lion, nounseashell, nounsea urchin, nounsemen, nounserpent, nounsetter, nounsex, verbshed, verbsheep, nounsheepdog, nounShetland pony, nounshire horse, nounshrew, nounshrimp, nounSiamese cat, nounsilkworm, nounsimian, adjectivesire, nounskin, nounskunk, nounsloth, nounslug, nounsnail, nounsnake, nounsnakebite, nounsnarl, verbsniffer dog, nounsnout, nounsocial, adjectivesow, nounspaniel, nounspawn, verbspawn, nounsperm whale, nounsponge, nounspoor, nounspore, nounspringbok, nounsquid, nounsquirrel, nounstag, nounstallion, nounstarfish, nounSt Bernard, nounsteed, nounsteer, nounsting, nounstinger, nounstoat, nounstomach, nounstray, adjectivestray, nounstud, nounsucker, nounsuckle, verbsuckling, nounswine, nountadpole, nountail, nountame, adjectivetame, verbtapeworm, nountapir, nounteat, nountentacle, nounterrapin, nounterrier, nounterritorial, adjectiveterritory, nountiger, nountigress, nountoad, nountom, nountomcat, nountooth, nountortoise, nountortoiseshell, nountrumpet, verbtrunk, nountufted, adjectiveturtle, nountusk, nountyrannosaurus, nounudder, nounuterus, nounvampire bat, nounvent, nounvermin, nounvertebrate, nounvicuña, nounviper, nounvivarium, nounvixen, nounvole, nounwag, verbwallaby, nounwallow, verbwalrus, nounwarm-blooded, adjectivewarren, nounwarthog, nounwater buffalo, nounwater rat, nounwater vole, nounweasel, nounweevil, nounwhale, nounwhelk, nounwhelp, nounwhelp, verbwhinny, verbwhippet, nounwhisker, nounwild boar, nounwildcat, nounwildebeest, nounwildfowl, nounwinkle, nounwithers, nounwolf, nounwolfhound, nounwombat, nounwool, nounyak, nounyap, verbyap, nounyearling, nounyelp, nounYorkshire terrier, nounyoung, nounzebra, nounzoologist, nounzoology, nounzygote, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
an airtight seal around the windows A number of employers have already given their seal of approval to the scheme.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
an airtight seal around the windows A number of employers have already given their seal of approval to the scheme. (=official approval)· You must not make decisions without your manager’s seal of approval.
(=closed, so that no air or water can get in)· Place the ingredients in a sealed container and shake well.
(=close it)· She sealed the envelope and stuck on a stamp.
(=one that is firmly closed)· The contract was delivered by special messenger in a sealed envelope.
(=make it certain that something bad will happen to someone, especially that they will die)· Engine failure sealed the pilot’s fate.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· The new great seal was handed to the king, and the old seal broken by the king's command.
· It is a female grey seal, probably pregnant but not due to have her pup until late September.· International concern for these extremely rare mammals arose after thousands of grey seals were wiped out by the canine distemper virus.· Below, in a steep dark inlet, grey seals would pup in the autumn in the tiny inaccessible cove.· However, in the deeper waters off the west coast, dives in excess of 1000m have been recorded for grey seals.
· In return for giving Loblaws its official seal of approval, Probe was to receive a royalty on sales.
· Letters under the privy seal were prepared by the thousand, and instructions were sent to the chief commissioners in each shire.
NOUN· In autumn the elephant seals haul out to moult.· Given that male albatrosses have the same genetic incentives as male elephant seals, why do they behave so differently?· Few infant mammals grow as quickly as an elephant seal pup.· Thus, bull elephant seals and red deer stags are big, armed, and dangerous.
· The fur seal may have up to a hundred, but the Hamadryas makes do with only a handful.· The hardy natives used harpoons to hunt the Southern fur seal and seldom ventured inland.· Exploitation of the region first depleted it of fur seals and whales; now the same fate threatens fish and krill.
· It warns that seal populations are decreasing, particularly that of the harp seal, and that the hunt could exacerbate this.· It adds that there is evidence that seal populations themselves are now in decline.· There are now fears that it could threaten the endangered monk seal population.
VERB· She broke the seals, inserted a key, turned it, twisted the brass handle, and opened the heavy door.· You have to tug a little to break the seal, and then the door opens.· Hotspur broke the seal in silence, and unrolled the parchment.· It was only necessary to break the seal, press a button, and then wait.· Out of curiosity, he caught one as it flew past his head, broke the wax seal, and unrolled the paper.· She broke the seal and poured me a hit in a coffee cup.· I broke the seal with my blunt thumb.· Our Association almost never broke the seals and rotated turns for taking the liquor home.
· Bowman cracked the seal, and pressed the button.
· And the unique project has just been given the Royal seal of approval.· A gratuitous promise, pure and simple, remains unenforceable unless given under seal.· These gaiters cover the whole boot and have a rubber rand which gives a watertight seal.· Even Joaquin Balaguer has given it his seal of approval.· In return for giving Loblaws its official seal of approval, Probe was to receive a royalty on sales.· By the end of the evening both she and Reggie had given us their seal of approval.
· Experience of cooperation during the war set the final seal.· The Tories' overwhelming victory in 1987 appeared to set the seal upon the triumph of bourgeois capitalism.· Such craftsmen were considered more than mere artisans, and their products, especially set in seal rings, were highly esteemed.· It set the seal on his depression; he was almost ready to go home.· His three-day tour set the seal on reconciliation between the two communities.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► (all) signed and sealed
1- And they all come with a seal of approval.
- As important as money for independent ventures would be the seal of approval.
- Even Joaquin Balaguer has given it his seal of approval.
- Good Housekeeping magazine seal of approval that makes it easier for countries to borrow and do business abroad.
- He had none of the prerequisites, no updated resume, no prior seal of approval.
- His name served as a seal of approval that a deal would go ahead and that it would be profitable.
- SoundScan has proved a seal of approval for several musical realms.
- The pension payback is even getting the seal of approval from national observers.
- His three-day tour set the seal on reconciliation between the two communities.
- It set the seal on his depression; he was almost ready to go home.
- Each is a hermetically sealed universe, bumping off the others with very little cross-pollination.
- I think we need to be theoretically and politically clear that no single culture is hermetically sealed off from others.
- Insiders are hermetically sealed from the intrusion of outsiders by the assumption of zero labour turnover.
- Racism is the product of impenetrable or hermetically sealed minds.
- Space and time can not be regarded as hermetically sealed domains.
- The two approaches, therefore, are not hermetically sealed units, impenetrable to each other.
- The would-be island, now with hermetically sealed borders and excluding all but a few tourists, is full of noises.
- Fear not my lips are sealed.
a large sea animal that eats fish and lives around coasts2 a)a mark that has a special design and shows the legal or official authority of a person or organization: The document carried the seal of the governor’s office. b)the object that is used to make this mark3a piece of rubber or plastic that keeps air, water, dirt etc out of somethingairtight/watertight seal an airtight seal around the windows4a piece of wax, paper, wire etc that you have to break in order to open a container, document etc5seal of approval if you give something your seal of approval, you say that you approve of it, especially officially: A number of employers have already given their seal of approval to the scheme.6set the seal on something British English to make something definite or complete: In 1972, Nixon himself went to China to set the seal on the new relationship.seal1 nounseal2 verb
sealseal2 ●●○ verb [transitive] VERB TABLE
seal
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | seal |
| he, she, it | seals | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | sealed |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have sealed |
| he, she, it | has sealed | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had sealed |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will seal |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have sealed |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am sealing |
| he, she, it | is sealing | |
| you, we, they | are sealing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was sealing |
| you, we, they | were sealing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been sealing |
| he, she, it | has been sealing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been sealing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be sealing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been sealing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- If you seal the jars well, the jam will keep for months or even years.
- In this experiment, the chamber must be completely sealed.
- She sealed the box with clear tape.
- The doorway had been sealed up with bricks.
- And tonight they would seal that love together.
- Bricks should be sealed with a masonry stabiliser, while wood should be waxed, varnished or painted.
- By the time they did, it would be years too late, and their fate would be sealed.
- Each is a hermetically sealed universe, bumping off the others with very little cross-pollination.
- Folly cut the tape that sealed the box nearest to her and pulled off the lid.
- Newman watched him stuffing banknotes into the envelope, sealing it, writing on the front.
- The fix is to seal all seams in your ducts in the basement with duct tape.
- The Texas Supreme Court will consider a case next month that could seal another entire realm of information: district attorney files.
THESAURUS
to stop being open, or to make something stop being open. You use close and shutespecially about your eyes, your mouth, a door, a window, or a container: · Can I close the window?· Her eyes slowly closed.· He closed the door gently, so as not to wake the children.
to close something. Shut sometimes has a feeling of doing something quickly and firmly, whereas close sounds more careful: · He shut the door with a loud bang.· Shut your eyes and go to sleep.
to close a door or lid quickly and noisily, especially because you are angry: · She left the room, slamming the door behind her.
to close curtains by pulling them across a window: · The curtains were still drawn at ten o'clock in the morning.
to close a container by putting a lid onto it: · Did you put the lid on the cookie jar?
to close something so that no air or water can get in or out: · In this experiment, the chamber must be completely sealed.
Longman Language Activatorto close an entrance or opening to put something into a hole or entrance so that it is permanently closed: block something up: · Martha tried to block the mouse holes up, but new ones kept appearing.block up something: · Some of the windows in the church had been blocked up.· He blocked up the entrance to the tunnel with stones.
to put something into a hole in order to stop a liquid from getting through: · We tried to plug the hole in the bottom of the boat with a plastic bag.· They didn't have enough material to plug up the gaps around the pipe.
to close an entrance or container with something that completely prevents air or water from getting in or out: · If you seal the jars well, the jam will keep for months or even years.· In this experiment, the chamber must be completely sealed.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY A quick way to seal awkward gaps is to use a foam filler. Dried milk is kept in hermetically sealed (=very tightly closed) containers.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
A quick way to seal awkward gaps is to use a foam filler. Dried milk is kept in hermetically sealed (=very tightly closed) containers. (=official approval)· You must not make decisions without your manager’s seal of approval.
(=closed, so that no air or water can get in)· Place the ingredients in a sealed container and shake well.
(=close it)· She sealed the envelope and stuck on a stamp.
(=one that is firmly closed)· The contract was delivered by special messenger in a sealed envelope.
(=make it certain that something bad will happen to someone, especially that they will die)· Engine failure sealed the pilot’s fate.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Spoon over the crème fraîche to completely seal in the fruit and chill for at least 1 hour.· The hotplate is safe and easy to use - because it's completely sealed and spills are easily wiped away.· Each of the 50 rooms is completely sealed to prevent contact with the outside world.· It's important that the joint between the surround and the chimneybreast is sealed completely, to prevent smoke from escaping.
· Racism is the product of impenetrable or hermetically sealed minds.· I think we need to be theoretically and politically clear that no single culture is hermetically sealed off from others.· Each is a hermetically sealed universe, bumping off the others with very little cross-pollination.· Insiders are hermetically sealed from the intrusion of outsiders by the assumption of zero labour turnover.· Space and time can not be regarded as hermetically sealed domains.
NOUN· Why then did they seal off an area of Tottenham more than one mile across?· Murder squad detectives, led by Detective Superintendent Stan Fletcher, sealed off the area while forensic tests were carried out.· Large numbers of soldiers and police were brought in to seal off the entire area.
· Packed in handy 25g boxes with recipe cards, the dried mushrooms are sealed in a bag for freshness.· Put the peppers in a brown paper bag and seal the bag to steam them.· Each plant had been rolled in paper and wetted before being sealed in the bag.· Use the tape to seal the bag closed around the straw. 3.· The assemblers actually wear white cotton gloves to protect the guitars before they are sealed in airtight bags, packed and shipped.· The morning of my return journey, each bag was sealed, wrapped in newspaper and sealed again in another bag.· Individual pots can be sealed in a plastic bag held clear of the foliage by wire hoops.
· He held his hand out and we shook, sealing an unspoken bargain.
· When it seals the borders, as it frequently does, even travel between the West Bank and Gaza becomes impossible.
· Manager Trevor Francis sealed the deal before leaving for a family holiday in Florida.
· She only had to make it to the airlock, seal the inner door behind her and wait ....· Was the sealed door one that led into the rear of a closet in the next apartment?· Janice Longbright entered the chamber, quietly sealing the door behind her.· It was by an act of faith in his science that a trim Shepelev crawled into the chamber and sealed the door.· This chamber is then sealed by doors at each end, which are lowered hydraulically.· This seals and protects the door.· This includes a custody area allowing police vans to off-load prisoners in an area sealed off by double doors.
· I shall now seal the envelope.· His assistant hands me the diagnosis in a sealed envelope and also departs.· Vincent Lee, of Manchester, said the number was still sealed inside its original envelope.· The mustard came in a gelatinous sealed plastic envelope that he had to open with his teeth.· Also, do not use large amounts of sticky tape to seal envelopes, as this can render them unusable.· She took it and sealed it in an envelope.· Later that day, at the poolside restaurant, a sealed envelope arrived by waiter.· She wondered how she was going to repair it and seal the envelope up properly again.
· But it was exasperated Tory backbenchers who sealed his fate.· Luciano Villoslada remembers that humid spring day that his sister Luz sealed her fate by deciding to become a revolutionary.· Martin Jajo equalised and within five minutes Jacobson sealed Darlington's fate.· But the poor man suffered from a heart condition, and 50 stings were enough to seal his fate.· Time Out had effectively sealed It's fate.· He had cheated the boss, sealed his own fate.· Twenty days of tightly timetabled designer runway shows have sealed the forward fate of fashion.
· A day that was meant to bring them closer, to seal the gap that he felt was developing between them.· However, these strips will not seal large gaps and should be replaced every two years.
· Chiddingfold looked dangerous on the break and could have sealed that match, but for some fine defending.· David Hockaday struck first and Lund sealed the match with a glancing header.· Preece sealed the match a minute later.· Malone weathered the storm and broke out to seal the match after 69 minutes.
· Whichever way, the devil will seal the pact for the usual price of his new agent's soul.· We reach out our hands and seal our pact.
· Hepburn converted to seal the victory.· Just a little bit more was needed from them to seal an amazing victory.· He then supplied the finishing touch to a 32-pass move to seal victory.· Another half-hour of it would have sealed a momentous victory.· A try by Plange and two from Richard Price sealed Sheffield's victory.· Andy Cole's first international goal sealed victory in injury time.· It sealed a comfortable victory and sent Rovers soaring into third place in the table.
· Watson dropped shots down the stretch, while Levi completed a round of 69 that sealed a four-shot win over Payne Stewart.· An own goal and a Freeman effort sealed Nova's win, despite a late Hope Farm goal.· Paul Brooker gave the Seagulls the lead and Bobby Zamora sealed the win with his 21st of the season.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► seal a deal/bargain/pact etcPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► (all) signed and sealed
1 (also seal up) to close an entrance or a container with something that stops air, water etc from coming in or out of it: - Andy Cole's first international goal sealed victory in injury time.
- He then supplied the finishing touch to a 32-pass move to seal victory.
- Rogerson's fate was sealed when he got behind the wheel of his car, completely drunk.
- Each is a hermetically sealed universe, bumping off the others with very little cross-pollination.
- I think we need to be theoretically and politically clear that no single culture is hermetically sealed off from others.
- Insiders are hermetically sealed from the intrusion of outsiders by the assumption of zero labour turnover.
- Racism is the product of impenetrable or hermetically sealed minds.
- Space and time can not be regarded as hermetically sealed domains.
- The two approaches, therefore, are not hermetically sealed units, impenetrable to each other.
- The would-be island, now with hermetically sealed borders and excluding all but a few tourists, is full of noises.
- Fear not my lips are sealed.
The window was sealed shut.seal a joint/crack/opening/gap A quick way to seal awkward gaps is to use a foam filler. Dried milk is kept in hermetically sealed (=very tightly closed) containers.► see thesaurus at close2if a building, area, or country is sealed, no one can enter or leave it: Authorities plan to seal the border.3to close an envelope, package etc by using something sticky to hold its edges in place: He wrote the address and sealed the envelope.4to cover the surface of something with something that will protect it: Wooden decks should be sealed to prevent cracking.5seal somebody’s fate to make something, especially something bad, sure to happen: The outbreak of war sealed the government’s fate.6seal a deal/bargain/pact etc to make an agreement more formal or definite7seal a victory/win/match to make a victory certain: Smith’s goal sealed the victory. → somebody’s lips are sealed at lip(5), → all signed and sealed at sign2(6)seal something ↔ in phrasal verb to stop something that is inside something else from getting out: Fry the meat quickly to seal in the juices.seal something ↔ off phrasal verb to stop people from entering an area or building, because it is dangerous: Following a bomb warning, police have sealed off the whole area.