Privy seal

Privy seal
Seal Seal, n. [OE. seel, OF. seel, F. sceau, fr. L. sigillum a little figure or image, a seal, dim. of signum a mark, sign, figure, or image. See {Sign}, n., and cf. {Sigil}.] 1. An engraved or inscribed stamp, used for marking an impression in wax or other soft substance, to be attached to a document, or otherwise used by way of authentication or security. [1913 Webster]

2. Wax, wafer, or other tenacious substance, set to an instrument, and impressed or stamped with a seal; as, to give a deed under hand and seal. [1913 Webster]

Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. That which seals or fastens; esp., the wax or wafer placed on a letter or other closed paper, etc., to fasten it. [1913 Webster]

4. That which confirms, ratifies, or makes stable; that which authenticates; that which secures; assurance. ``Under the seal of silence.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Like a red seal is the setting sun On the good and the evil men have done. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]

5. An arrangement for preventing the entrance or return of gas or air into a pipe, by which the open end of the pipe dips beneath the surface of water or other liquid, or a deep bend or sag in the pipe is filled with the liquid; a draintrap. [1913 Webster]

{Great seal}. See under {Great}.

{Privy seal}. See under {Privy}, a.

{Seal lock}, a lock in which the keyhole is covered by a seal in such a way that the lock can not be opened without rupturing the seal.

{Seal manual}. See under {Manual}, a.

{Seal ring}, a ring having a seal engraved on it, or ornamented with a device resembling a seal; a signet ring. --Shak. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Privy Seal — of EnglandThe Privy Seal of England can be traced back to the reign of King John. It has been suggested that it was originally the seal that accompanied the person of the Sovereign, while the Great Seal was required to remain in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Privy seal — Privy Priv y, a. [F. priv[ e], fr. L. privatus. See {Private}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Of or pertaining to some person exclusively; assigned to private uses; not public; private; as, the privy purse. Privee knights and squires. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Privy Seal — Privy Seal, the →↑Lord Privy Seal, the …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • privy seal — n. in Great Britain, the seal placed on documents which are later to receive the great seal or which are not important enough to receive the great seal …   English World dictionary

  • Privy seal — A privy seal was in use during the reign of King John. From c. 1230 during Henry Ill s reign it became a permanent feature of royal administration, being used to authenticate letters less formal than those issued by the *chancery. It was usually… …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • privy seal — noun Etymology: Middle English prive seal, from prive privy + seal more at seal 1. : a private seal: as a. : a British royal seal used before 1885 to authorize use of the great seal (as on letters patent or pardons) or on documents not requiring… …   Useful english dictionary

  • privy seal — A seal which is affixed to royal grants or letters patent which are to pass under the great seal. The sign manual is the warrant to the privy seal and the privy seal is the warrant to the great seal. See 2 Bl Comm 347 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Privy Seal of Japan — The Privy Seal of Japan is the Emperor of Japan s official seal. It is square and its inscription 天皇御璽 is written in the seal script (篆書:tensho). It has two lines of vertical writing. On the right hand side is 天皇 ( Tenno ) and on left hand side… …   Wikipedia

  • privy seal — In England, a seal used in making out grants or letters patent, preparatory to their passing under the great seal. A seal which the sovereign uses to such grants or things as pass the great seal. A seal of the British government which is affixed… …   Black's law dictionary

  • privy seal — (in Great Britain) the seal affixed to grants, documents, etc., that are to pass the great seal, and to documents of less importance that do not require the great seal. [1250 1300; ME] * * * …   Universalium

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