Definition

1. Noun:

   • A type of fishing net: A seine is a large fishing net designed to hang vertically in the water. It has floats (buoys) along its top edge to keep it at the surface and weights along its bottom edge to sink it, forming a wall to encircle fish.
   • A major river in France: The Seine is a river that flows through Paris and northern France before emptying into the English Channel near Le Havre.

2. Verb:

   • To fish using a seine net: The action of catching fish by deploying and hauling in a seine net.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Fishing Net):

  • The fishermen cast the seine into the bay to catch sardines.
  • A traditional seine can be very effective for catching schools of fish near the shore.

• Noun (River):

  • Many famous landmarks, like Notre-Dame Cathedral, are located along the banks of the Seine.
  • We took a boat tour on the Seine to see Paris from the water.

• Verb:

  • They will seine for salmon at dawn when the fish are most active.
  • It is illegal to seine in this protected marine area.

Advanced Usage

• "To haul/seine in a catch": This phrase describes the action of pulling the seine net, now full of fish, back to the boat or shore.
  • After a long wait, they began to haul in their catch from the seine.

Variants and Related Words

• Seiner (noun): A boat used for fishing with a seine net.
  • The seiner returned to port with a full hold.
• Seining (noun/gerund): The activity or method of fishing with a seine.
  • Seining is a common practice in these coastal communities.

Synonyms

• Noun (Net): Dragnet, fishing net, trawl (note: a trawl is pulled horizontally, while a seine is typically set vertically).
• Verb: To net, to fish with a net.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• "To be caught in the seine": This can be used literally for fish or figuratively to describe being trapped in a wide-ranging or inescapable situation.
  • The investigation was a wide net, and many corrupt officials were caught in its seine.

Noun

1. a large fishnet that hangs vertically, with floats at the top and weights at the bottom
2. a French river that flows through the heart of Paris and then northward into the English Channel

Verb

1. fish with a seine; catch fish with a seine