Half seas over

Half seas over
Sea Sea (s[=e]), n. [OE. see, AS. s[=ae]; akin to D. zee, OS. & OHG. s[=e]o, G. see, OFries. se, Dan. s["o], Sw. sj["o], Icel. s[ae]r, Goth. saiws, and perhaps to L. saevus fierce, savage. [root]151a.] 1. One of the larger bodies of salt water, less than an ocean, found on the earth's surface; a body of salt water of second rank, generally forming part of, or connecting with, an ocean or a larger sea; as, the Mediterranean Sea; the Sea of Marmora; the North Sea; the Carribean Sea. [1913 Webster]

2. An inland body of water, esp. if large or if salt or brackish; as, the Caspian Sea; the Sea of Aral; sometimes, a small fresh-water lake; as, the Sea of Galilee. [1913 Webster]

3. The ocean; the whole body of the salt water which covers a large part of the globe. [1913 Webster]

I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Ambiguous between sea and land The river horse and scaly crocodile. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

4. The swell of the ocean or other body of water in a high wind; motion or agitation of the water's surface; also, a single wave; a billow; as, there was a high sea after the storm; the vessel shipped a sea. [1913 Webster]

5. (Jewish Antiq.) A great brazen laver in the temple at Jerusalem; -- so called from its size. [1913 Webster]

He made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof. --2 Chron. iv. 2. [1913 Webster]

6. Fig.: Anything resembling the sea in vastness; as, a sea of glory. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

All the space . . . was one sea of heads. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

Note: Sea is often used in the composition of words of obvious signification; as, sea-bathed, sea-beaten, sea-bound, sea-bred, sea-circled, sealike, sea-nursed, sea-tossed, sea-walled, sea-worn, and the like. It is also used either adjectively or in combination with substantives; as, sea bird, sea-bird, or seabird, sea acorn, or sea-acorn. [1913 Webster]

{At sea}, upon the ocean; away from land; figuratively, without landmarks for guidance; lost; at the mercy of circumstances. ``To say the old man was at sea would be too feeble an expression.'' --G. W. Cable

{At full sea} at the height of flood tide; hence, at the height. ``But now God's mercy was at full sea.'' --Jer. Taylor.

{Beyond seas}, or {Beyond the sea} or {Beyond the seas} (Law), out of the state, territory, realm, or country. --Wharton.

{Half seas over}, half drunk. [Colloq.] --Spectator.

{Heavy sea}, a sea in which the waves run high.

{Long sea}, a sea characterized by the uniform and steady motion of long and extensive waves.

{Short sea}, a sea in which the waves are short, broken, and irregular, so as to produce a tumbling or jerking motion.

{To go to sea}, to adopt the calling or occupation of a sailor. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • half seas over — slang for drunk, 1736, sometimes said to be from notion of a ship heavy laden and so low in the water that small waves (half seas) wash over the deck. This suits the sense, but the phrase is not recorded in this alleged literal sense. Half seas… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Half seas over — Half seas o ver (s[=e]z [=o] v[ e]r). Half drunk. [Slang: used only predicatively.] Spectator. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • half-seas over —    drunk    All the other states of drunkenness preceded by half indicate a condition of intoxication no less than the whole. In this case there is no seas over to be halved. It is used either of total drunkenness:     I m half seas o er to death …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • half-seas over — | ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ adjective slang : drunk * * * /haf seez , hahf /, Slang. drunk; intoxicated; inebriated. [1545 55] * * * half seas over «HAF SEEZ, HAHF », 1 …   Useful english dictionary

  • half-seas-over — /haf siz ˈoʊvə/ (say hahf seez ohvuh) adjective Colloquial intoxicated. Also, (especially in predicative use), half seas over …  

  • half seas over Brit. — half seas over Brit. informal, dated fairly drunk. → half …   English new terms dictionary

  • half-seas over — /haf seez , hahf /, Slang. drunk; intoxicated; inebriated. [1545 55] * * * …   Universalium

  • Half-seas-over — intoxicated …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • half-seas-over — Australian Slang intoxicated …   English dialects glossary

  • half seas over — completely drunk, totally intoxicated by alcohol …   English contemporary dictionary

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