n. [ OE. see, AS. s&aemacr_;; akin to D. zee, OS. & OHG. sēo, G. see, OFries. se, Dan. sö, Sw. sjö, Icel. saer, Goth. saiws, and perhaps to L. saevus fierce, savage. √151a. ] 1. One of the larger bodies of salt water, less than an ocean, found on the earth's surface; a body of salt water of second rank, generally forming part of, or connecting with, an ocean or a larger sea; as, the Mediterranean Sea; the Sea of Marmora; the North Sea; the Carribean Sea. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An inland body of water, esp. if large or if salt or brackish; as, the Caspian Sea; the Sea of Aral; sometimes, a small fresh-water lake; as, the Sea of Galilee. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The ocean; the whole body of the salt water which covers a large part of the globe. [ 1913 Webster ]

I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ambiguous between sea and land
The river horse and scaly crocodile. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The swell of the ocean or other body of water in a high wind; motion or agitation of the water's surface; also, a single wave; a billow; as, there was a high sea after the storm; the vessel shipped a sea. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Jewish Antiq.) A great brazen laver in the temple at Jerusalem; -- so called from its size. [ 1913 Webster ]

He made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof. 2 Chron. iv. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Fig.: Anything resembling the sea in vastness; as, a sea of glory. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the space . . . was one sea of heads. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Sea is often used in the composition of words of obvious signification; as, sea-bathed, sea-beaten, sea-bound, sea-bred, sea-circled, sealike, sea-nursed, sea-tossed, sea-walled, sea-worn, and the like. It is also used either adjectively or in combination with substantives; as, sea bird, sea-bird, or seabird, sea acorn, or sea-acorn. [ 1913 Webster ]

At sea, upon the ocean; away from land; figuratively, without landmarks for guidance; lost; at the mercy of circumstances. “To say the old man was at sea would be too feeble an expression.” G. W. Cable --
At full sea at the height of flood tide; hence, at the height. “But now God's mercy was at full sea.” Jer. Taylor. --
Beyond seas, or
Beyond the sea or
Beyond the seas (Law), out of the state, territory, realm, or country. Wharton. --
Half seas over, half drunk. [ Colloq. ] Spectator. --
Heavy sea, a sea in which the waves run high. --
Long sea, a sea characterized by the uniform and steady motion of long and extensive waves. --
Short sea, a sea in which the waves are short, broken, and irregular, so as to produce a tumbling or jerking motion. --
To go to sea, to adopt the calling or occupation of a sailor. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) An acorn barnacle (Balanus). [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) (a) The European fifteen-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus spinachia); -- called also bismore. (b) The European tanglefish, or pipefish (Syngnathus acus). [ 1913 Webster ]

(Naut.) See Drag sail, under 4th Drag. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) Any one of numerous species of soft-bodied Anthozoa, belonging to the order Actinaria; an actinian. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ They have the oral disk surrounded by one or more circles of simple tapering tentacles, which are often very numerous, and when expanded somewhat resemble the petals of flowers, with colors varied and often very beautiful. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) (a) The thrasher shark. (b) The sea otter. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) The fruit of a West Indian palm (Manicaria Plukenetii), often found floating in the sea. A. Grisebach. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) A squid of the genus Ommastrephes. See Squid. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The seashore. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A bank or mole to defend against the sea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A tern. [ 1913 Webster ]