1. past tense of seel; to close the eyes of a hawk or falcon by sewing the eyelids shut during training
Usage: falconry; archaic

Examples

• The falconer seeled the young hawk to calm it during training.
• In medieval times, hunting birds were often seeled until they became accustomed to their handlers.
• The seeled falcon sat quietly on the perch, unable to see its surroundings.
• Once the bird was properly trained, its eyes were unseeled.
• Shakespeare used the term ‘seeled’ in his plays to describe blinded or closed eyes.