seal off
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To close or block an entrance, exit, or area completely: To prevent access to or from a place by securing all points of entry.
- To make something airtight or watertight: To secure an object or space so that nothing, such as air, water, or contaminants, can pass through.
Usage
- To isolate an area: Used when authorities or individuals need to quarantine or secure a location, often for safety, investigation, or security reasons.
- To secure an opening: Used when making a container, room, or building impervious to external elements.
Examples
- Verb:
- The police decided to seal off the crime scene to preserve evidence.
- During the gas leak, firefighters had to seal off the entire street.
- Before the hurricane, we need to seal off the windows with plywood.
- The lab is sealed off to prevent any contamination.
Advanced Usage
- "To seal oneself off": To isolate oneself emotionally or physically from others or from external influences.
- After the argument, he sealed himself off in his room for the rest of the day.
Variants and Related Words
- Seal (verb): To close something securely. (e.g., )
- Blockade (noun/verb): An act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving. (e.g., )
- Quarantine (verb): To isolate people or animals to prevent the spread of disease, which often involves sealing off an area.
Synonyms
- Close off: To block an entrance or access.
- Cordon off: To prevent access to an area by surrounding it with a barrier, especially by officials.
- Shut off: To stop the flow or access to something.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Seal in: To prevent something (like flavor, moisture, or air) from escaping.
- The plastic wrap helps to seal in the freshness of the food.
- Seal up: To close something securely, often by fastening it.
- We need to seal up these boxes before the movers arrive.
Related Idioms
- (To be) under seal: Something that is officially closed or confidential.
- The court documents are under seal and cannot be viewed by the public.
Verb
- impose a blockade on
- make tight; secure against leakage
- seal the windows