sealing wax
1
7.7
- noun
- /ˈsiːlɪŋ wæks/
:
cera de sellado
- His fingers were fiddling nervously with the sealing wax, and he was breathing more rapidly.
- a stick of sealing wax
- red sealing wax
Examples
-
In the past, letters were often sealed with sealing wax to ensure their privacy.
-
In those days, one folded a letter, sealed it with sealing wax, and wrote the address on the back of the written pages.
Fiction book (1996) -
Amed6e was eleven when the envelope arrived with a black ribbon caught under royal sealing wax.
Fiction book (2002) -
"No." Pryce picked up a stick of sealing wax and played with it absently, his eyes avoiding Pitt's.
Fiction book (1993) -
When he finishes the letter, he clutches the lamp in the crook of his arm and a stick of sealing wax in his fingers, allowing the liquid wax to drip on the folded paper.
Fiction book (1999) -
The big desk was strewn with papers and open books, and there were three pens in the stand, half a stick of sealing wax, and a scatter of unused postage stamps.
Fiction book (1990) -
He warmed the sealing wax over a candle before applying it to the envelope.
-
To close the package securely, she used a bright red sealing wax that would break when opened.
Synonyms
106
4.2
An official mark that shows a document is real
How Tamper-Evident
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound literally names a type of wax used for sealing: a learner who knows 'sealing' (the act or purpose of closing/securing) and 'wax' (a solid substance) can readily infer it is wax used to seal items. This is a straightforward compositional noun compound common across languages, so its meaning is directly derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Sealing wax comes from the old custom of heating wax and pressing it with a ring to close a letter. When the wax cooled it became hard and would break if someone opened the letter, so sealing wax means 'a material used to seal letters or documents so you can tell if they have been opened'.