▪ I. † seel, n. Naut. Obs.
Also 7 seele.
[f. seel v.]
A sudden heeling over of a vessel in a storm.
| 1625 Glanville Voy. Cadiz 117 Our shipp did rolle more, and fetch deeper and more dangerous Seeles then in the greatest storme. 1644 H. Manwayring Sea-mans Dict. s.v., The Lee-seele, is when she rowles to Leeward; there is no danger in this seele, though [etc.]. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 165/2 Seele, or seeling, is a sudden turning aside of a ship, forced by the motion of the Sea and fearful Winds. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v. Seeling, When a ship thus tumbles to lee⁓ward, they call it lee-seel. |
▪ II. † seel, v.1 Naut. Obs.
[Of obscure origin.]
intr. Of a ship: To make a sudden lurch to one side. Hence † ˈseeling vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| a 1618 Raleigh Royal Navy 24 When a Ship seels or roules in foule weather. 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. xi. 487 They plie their tasks: some seeling yards bestry'd And take⁓in sailes. 1644 H. Manwayring Sea-mans Dict. s.v. Seele, So that seeling is but a suddaine heeling, forced by the motion, and feare of the sea or wind. 1692 Smith's Seaman's Gram. i. xvi. 81 The Ship seels, that is, when on a sudden she lies down on her side, and tumbles from one side to the other. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v. Seeling, If she rowls or seels to windward, there is fear of her coming over too short or suddenly. |
▪ III. seel, v.2
(siːl)
Forms: 5 sele, 6 cele, 6–7 siel, 6–9 seal, 7 ceel, seele, seile, 6– seel.
[Later form of sile v.3]
1. trans. To close the eyes of (a hawk or other bird) by stitching up the eyelids with a thread tied behind the head; chiefly used as part of the taming process in falconry. Also, to stitch up (the eyes of a bird).
| a 1500 in Harting Perf. Bk. Sparhawkes (1886) Introd. 12 Take the outsyd of her ye and put thorgh ye nedell and the threde [etc.]... And then thou maist sey she is a seled. 1530 Palsgr. 479/1, I cele a hauke or a pigyon whan I sowe up their eyes for caryage or otherwyse. 1611 B. Jonson Catiline ii. i, He, tame Crow,..would haue kept Both eyes, and beake seal'd vp, for sixe sesterces. 1641 R. Brooke Eng. Episc. 5 Your Faulkners seele a Pigeons eye (when they would haue her soare high) to prevent a Vertigo. 1647 Hexham i. (Birds), To seile a Hawke. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) s.v. Falconry, Care ought to be taken, not to seel her too hard. 1818 Scott Rob Roy v, You cannot..reclaim a hawk..or direct his diet when he is sealed. 1852 R. F. Burton Falconry in Valley Indus vi. 68 A bird of the same colour with eyes seeled and wings shortened. 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 373/1 (Falconry) Seel, to sew up the upper eyelids of a hawk, and tie the threads behind the head. An obsolete practice now superseded by the hood. |
| fig. 1584 Lyly Campaspe iv. i. 41 Al conscience is sealed at Athens. |
2. transf. To close (a person's eyes). Also fig. to make blind, to prevent from seeing, hoodwink.
| 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. iv. 766 Thy light is darkned, and thine eyes are siel'd. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 210 Shee that so young could giue out such a Seeming To seele her Fathers eyes vp. 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. iii. xiii. 112 But when we in our viciousnesse grow hard..the wise Gods seele our eyes In our owne filth. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter i. 18 It is bad to have the eyes seeled, but worse to have the ears sealed up. 1814 Southey Roderick xvi. 240 A life-long night Seel'd his broad eye. |
Hence seeled (siːld) ppl. a.; ˈseeling vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| a 1586 Sidney Arcadia i. (Sommer) 65 b, Now she brought them to see a seeled Doue, who the blinder she was, the higher shee straue. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iii. ii. 46 Come, seeling Night, Skarfe vp the tender Eye of pittiful Day. 1625 Quarles Sions Sonets xv. iii, These seiled eyes that slept So soundly fast, awak'd, much faster wept. 1661 Boyle Style of Script. (1675) 186 Lovers like ceel'd Pidgeons flying the Higher for having been Blinded. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) s.v. Hawking, Then cast out a sealed duck. 1852 R. F. Burton Falconry in Valley Indus iv. 48 The seeling threads are cut short. 1859 Tennyson Merlin & V. 123 Their talk was all of training, terms of art, Diet and seeling. |
▪ IV. † seel, v.3 Obs.—0
[ad. F. ciller, f. cil eyelash, orig. also eyebrow.]
(See quot.)
| 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Seeling, A Horse is said to Seel, when upon his Eye-brows, there grows about the Breadth of a Farthing of white Hairs, mixed with those of his natural Colour; which is a Mark of Old Age. |
▪ V. seel
see ceil v., seal n. and v., sele, sell v.