seal (v.) Copy link Outline I. To put a s. to a letter or document1. signo, 12. expr. by signum (signa) imprimereII. To certify as by a s.III. To s. up • seal (v.): I. To put a s. to a letter or document: 1. signo, 1: Cic. Att. 11, 1 (accepi a te libellum signatum): Hor.: Ov. Comps.: (1) obsigno, 1 (to s. up; s. with legal formality; esp. in the case of depositions, etc. in court): when I had already s.'d up my letter, obsignata jam epistola, Cic. Att. 8, 6: cf. id. Clu. 14, 41 (testamentum in alias tabulas transscriptum, signis adulterinis obsignavit, he s.'d it up with forged s.s): for the technical legal use, cf. id. Quint. 21, 67, ejus rei conditionisque tabellas obsignaverunt viri boni complures. (2.) consigno, 1 (of a number of persons putting their s.s to a document together): Cic. Quint. 6, 25 (tabulae maximis signis hominum nobilium consignantur) (3.) assigno, 1 (rare): Pers. 5, 81. 2. expr. by signum (signa) imprimere: Hor. S. 2, 6, 38. II. To certify as by a s.: Phr.: that circumstance s.'d the fate of the city, *haec res quasi exscidio urbem addixisse videbatur: he s.'d his confession by his death, *confessionem suam morte tanquam obsignatam tulit. III. To s. up: (a.) Lit. obsigno, 1: v. supr. (I.). (b.) Fig., to close: comprĭmo, ŏpĕrio, etc.: v. to shut, close. "In time of service s. up both thine eyes," *rem divinam faciens, oculos tu bene compressos [et quasi obsignatos] habeto.