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Whale vs Seal - What's the difference?

whale | seal |

As nouns the difference between whale and seal

is that whale is any of several species of large sea mammals of the order cetacea while seal is sea, air, land (used as a name of a military unit).

As a verb whale

is to hunt for whales.

whale

English

(wikipedia whale) (Cetacea)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any of several species of large sea mammals of the order Cetacea.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Yesterday’s fuel , passage=The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania.
  • (figuratively) Something, or someone, that is very large.
  • * 1920 September, “A Reformed Free Lance” (pseudonym), “Doctoring a Sick Encyclopedia”, in The Writer , Volume XXXII, Number 9, page 131:
  • It was a whale of a job. It took two months, and the fair blush of youth off my cheeks.
  • * 1947 May 19, John Chamberlain, “Will Clayton and his Problem”, in , page 120:
  • But when it comes to his business life and business career, is not as other men; he is such a whale of a lot better that it suggests a qualitative as well as a quantitative difference.
  • (gambling) (In a casino) a person who routinely bets at the maximum limit allowable.
  • * 2003 , Jeff Wuorio, How to Buy and Sell (Just About) Everything ,
  • These are often no-limit games as maximum bets cramp a whale ’s style.
  • * 2004 , Norm Clarke, Vegas Confidential: Norm! Sin City's Ace Insider 1,000 Naked Truths, Hot Spots and Cool Stuff ,
  • A handful of the richest whales routinely play for $200,000 a hand. Australian media mogul Kerry Packer not only regularly bets that much, but has plunked down $200,000 bets for the dealer as a form of a tip.
  • * 2008', Deke Castleman, '''''Whale Hunt in the Desert ,
  • The high roller who had the most ferocious reputation for trying to run the business of the casinos where he played, before he died on December 26, 2006, was Kerry Packer. In the casino world, Packer was the Prince of Whales .

    Derived terms

    * blue whale * fin whale * have a whale of a time * humpback whale * killer whale * narwhal * pilot whale * sperm whale * whale catfish * whaler * whale fall * whalefish * whalelore * whale shark * whale watching * whaling

    See also

    (other associated terms) * baleen * cachalot * cete * orca * gam * pod * rorqual

    Verb

  • To hunt for whales.
  • To flog, to beat.
  • Anagrams

    *

    seal

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) sele, from an inflectional form of (etyl) seolh, from (etyl) ). More at sullow.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A pinniped (Pinnipedia), particularly an earless seal (true seal) or eared seal.
  • The seals in the harbor looked better than they smelled.
    Hyponyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * acme seal * Arctic seal, arctic seal * Atlantic gray seal, Atlantic grey seal * Baikal seal * bay seal * bearded seal * bottle-nosed seal * Caspian seal * common seal * crab-eater seal, crabeater seal * crab-eating seal * crawling seal * crested seal * eared seal * earless seal * elephant seal * fur seal, fur-seal * Greenland seal * gray seal, grey seal * hair seal, hair-seal * harbor seal, harbour seal * harp seal, harp-seal * heart seal * hooded seal * Hudson bay seal, Hudson seal * jar seal * kid seal * Ladoga seal * land seal * Larga seal * leonine seal * leopard seal * leporine seal * maned seal * marbled seal * monk seal, monk-seal * native seal * pied seal * pin seal * ribbon seal * ringed seal * river seal * rock seal * Ross seal * rough seal * seal brown, seal-brown * seal calf * sealchie * seal-cloth * seal dog * sealery * seal-fin deformity * seal finger * seal fingers * seal-fish * seal-fisher * seal-fishing * seal-fur * seal-grain * seal-hole * seal-hunter * seal-hunting * seal limbs * seal-lynx point * seal-oil, seal oil * seal point, sealpoint * seal-plush * seal rookery * seal shark * sealskin * seal-tortie lynx point * seal-tortie point * seal-vat * small-ringed seal * spotted seal * square flipper seal * swan-necked seal * thong seal * true seal * ursine seal * walking seal * Weddell seal, Weddell's seal

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hunt seals.
  • Synonyms
    * (hunt seals) go sealing

    See also

    * (Pinniped) * clapmatch * dolphin * sea lion * walrus * selkie

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) seel, from (etyl) sigillum, a diminutive of

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax.
  • An impression of a stamp on wax or paper.
  • (rft-sense) A design or insignia usually associated with an organization or an official role.
  • The front of the podium bore the presidential seal .
  • Anything that secures or authenticates.
  • (rft-sense) Something which will be visibly damaged if a covering or container is opened, and which may or may not bear an official design.
  • The result was declared invalid, as the seal on the meter had been broken.
  • Confirmation or an indication of confirmation.
  • Her clothes always had her mom's seal of approval.
  • Something designed to prevent liquids or gases from leaking through a joint.
  • The canister is leaking. I think the main seal needs to be replaced.
  • A tight closure, secure against leakage.
  • Close the lid tightly to get a good seal .
  • A chakra.
  • Derived terms
    * AccuPort seal * Angio-Seal® * apex seal * balanced seal * bellows seal * blow fill seal * Bodok seal * border seal * break seal * break the seal * Bridgman seal * broad seal * burning seal * cartridge seal * Chinese seal * chip seal * Christmas seal * clay seal * collation of seals * company seal * compartmented seal * compression seal * compressor seal * concentric dual seal * Confederate Seal * contract under seal * corporate seal * counter-seal * crankshaft seal * cup seal * cylinder seal * diaphragm seal * door seal (aka door gasket) * double balanced seal * double seal * dry gas seal * dry seal * dual seal * dynamic seal * enamelled seal * externally pressurized seal * face seal * face-to-face seals * farthing seal * fin seal * fisherman's seal, fisher's seal * flange seal * given under my hand and seal * glass-ceramic-to-metal seal * glass seal * golden seal, golden-seal, goldenseal * grease seal * Great Seal * guide seal * gum-seal * hand and seal * Hermes' seal * hermetic seal * hydrodynamic seal * hydrostatic seal * Imperial Seal of China * Imperial Seal of Japan * impression seal * inside-mounted seal * Keeper of the Seals * Knights Templar Seal * labyrinth seal * lady's seal * lip seal * LMLK seal * Luther seal * magnetic seal * mechanical face seal * mechanical seal * medicine seal * official seal * Official Seal of the President of Ireland * oil seal * orbital reducer seal * outside-mounted seal * palatal seal * peripheral seal * piston seal * posterior palatal seal * postpalatal seal * presidential seal * primary seal * privy seal * pusher seal * radial shaft seal * rotary seal * rotating face mechanical seal * royal seal * sanitary seal * scaraboid seal * seal assembly * seal at arms, seal of arms * seal-bag * sealbore * seal chamber * seal coating * seal-cup * seal-cylinder * seal-day * seal-engraving * seal face * seal face width * seal-flower * seal leak * sealless * seal-lock, seal lock * Seal-Lock, Sealock * seal manual * seal-master * seal of approval * seal of confession, seal of the confessional * seal-office * seal of quality * seal of relics * Seal of Solomon * seal of the demons * Seal of the President of the Philippines * Seal of the Prophets * Seal of the United States Senate * seal-pipe * seal point * seal-press * seal presser * seal receptacle * seal ring, seal-ring * seal script * seal-stamp * seal-stone * seal swell * seal-top * seal-wax, sealwax * seal-work * seal-wort * sealing washer * secre seal * secret seal * set one's seal * set to one's seal, set to seal * set the seal on * the seven seals * shaft seal * Solomon's seal * stamp seal * state seal * stationary seal * surface sealing * sylphon seal * tandem seals * trap seal * unbalanced seal * under one's seal, under seal * Underseal, underseal * under the cold seal * United States Treasury Seal * unseal * velopharyngeal seal * water seal * weather seal * wiper seal

    See also

    *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To place a seal on (a document).
  • To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, or merchantable quality.
  • to seal''' weights and measures; to '''seal silverware
  • To fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage.
  • The cover is sealed . If anyone tries to open it, we'll know about it.
  • To prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something).
  • The border has been sealed until the fugitives are found.
  • To close securely to prevent leakage.
  • I've sealed the bottle to keep the contents fresh.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Seal up your lips, and give no words but "mum".
  • To place in a sealed container.
  • I've sealed the documents in this envelope.
  • (chess) To place a notation of one's next move in a sealed envelope to be opened after an adjournment.
  • After thinking for half an hour, the champion sealed his move.
  • To guarantee.
  • The last-minute goal sealed United's win.
  • To fix, as a piece of iron in a wall, with cement or plaster, etc.
  • (Gwilt)
  • To close by means of a seal.
  • to seal a drainpipe with water
  • (Mormonism) To confirm or set apart as a second or additional wife.
  • * H. Stansbury
  • If a man once married desires a second helpmate she is sealed to him under the solemn sanction of the church.
    Synonyms
    * (place a seal on) * (fasten (something) so that it cannot be opened without visible damage ): * (prevent people or vehicles from crossing (something) ): block, block off, close, close off, obstruct, seal off * (close securely to prevent leakage) * (place in a sealed container) enclose * (chess term)
    Derived terms
    * counter-seal, counterseal * heat-seal * reseal * sealable * sealant * sealed * sealer * seal in * sealing * seal off * seal somebody's fate, seal someone's fate * seal under * seal up * underseal

    See also

    * stamp

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dialectal) To tie up animals (especially cattle) in their stalls.
  • Anagrams

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