American English

Definition of sea noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary



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  1. 1 the sea [uncountable] (literary seas [plural]) the salt water that covers most of the earth's surface and surrounds its continents and islands to travel by sea We left port and headed for the open sea (= far away from land). the cold seas of the Arctic a sea voyage a hotel room with a sea view see also the high seas, ocean
  2. 2[countable] (often Sea, especially as part of a name) a large area of salt water that is part of an ocean or surrounded by land the North Sea the Caspian Sea
  3. 3[countable] seas [plural] the movement of the waves of the ocean It was a calm sea. The sea was very rough.
  4. 4[singular] sea of something a large amount of something that stretches over a wide area He looked down at the sea of smiling faces before him.
  5. Idioms
    1. 1on the ocean, especially in a ship, or in the ocean It happened on the second night at sea. They were lost at sea.
    2. 2confused and not knowing what to do I'm all at sea with these new regulations.
    between the devil and the deep blue sea
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    in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices
    to become a sailor far away from land where the ocean is deepest She fell overboard and was swept out to sea.
    put (out) to sea
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    to leave a port or harbor by ship or boat
    there are plenty of other/more fish in the sea
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See the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary entry: sea