seal one's fate

seal (one's) fate

To solidify or confirm that a particular, usually unpleasant, thing will happen. If you fail this exam, it will seal your fate and make your GPA low enough to qualify for expulsion.See also: fate, seal

seal one's fate

Decide what will become of one, as in The letter of rejection sealed his fate; he'd have to apply to other medical schools. This term employs seal in the sense of "permanently fix or fasten something," a usage dating from the mid-1600s. See also: fate, seal