sea

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

   Over the last five years, the volume of water in the sea has decreased by 20%.

2. 2
   noun

   turbulent water with swells of considerable size

   The small boat had very little control on the heavy seas.

3. 3
   noun

   anything apparently limitless in quantity or volume

   It will take months to go through the sea of possibilities.

4. 4
   noun

   A large body of salt water.

   God moves in a myſterious way, / His wonders to perform; / He plants his footſteps in the ſea, / And rides upon the ſtorm.

5. 5
   noun

   A lake, especially if large or if salty or brackish.

   The Caspian Sea, the Sea of Galilee, the Salton Sea, etc.

6. 6
   noun

   A single wave; billow.

   One ſea broke away the ſpare yards and ſpars out of the ſtarboard main chains. Another heavy ſea broke into the ſhip and ſtove all the boats. Several caſks of beer, that had been laſhed upon deck, were broke looſe and waſhed overboard, and it was not without great difficulty and riſk that we were able to ſecure the boats from being waſhed away entirely.

7. 7
   noun

   The swell of the sea, especially when high or rough.

   “Where can they be?” he cried. “They cannot have gone down, for there has been no sea, and they were afloat after the yacht sank—I saw them all.”

8. 8
   noun

   Living or used in or on the sea; of, near, or like the sea.

   Seaman, sea gauge, sea monster, sea horse, sea level, seaworthy, seaport, seaboard, etc.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English see, from Old English sǣ, from Proto-West Germanic *saiwi (“body of water”), from Proto-Germanic *saiwiz, itself either: * Derived from Proto-Indo-European *sh₂ey-wo- (“to be fierce, afflict”). Related to Latin saevus (“wild, fierce”), Tocharian B saiwe (“itch”), and Latvian sievs, sīvs (“sharp, biting”). More at sore. * Derived from Proto-Germanic *sīhwaną (“to percolate, filter”), from Proto-Indo-European *seykʷ-. Cognates Cognate with Yola zea, zee (“sea”), North Frisian See, sia, siie (“sea; lake”), Saterland Frisian See, Säi (“sea”), West Frisian see (“sea”),…