What does seined mean?
Seined is the past tense and past participle of seine, a verb meaning to catch fish with a seine net. A seine is a large net suspended vertically in the water and drawn so that its lower edge closes around fish; it is especially associated with coastal and river fishing. The verb can also be used figuratively for catching or trapping people or other things, often by surrounding them. In the literal sense, “the fishermen seined the bay” describes an active method of fishing and suggests a broad sweep of the net. The word is not common in everyday conversation, but it is familiar in fisheries, historical writing, and descriptions of traditional fishing methods. Its unusual spelling reflects the established word “seine,” pronounced like the word “sane.”
verbTo catch fish with a seine, a large net drawn through the water. In figurative use, it means to catch or trap people or things.
- To catch fish with a seine net.
- To catch, capture, or trap people or things with an encircling movement.
"The fishermen seined the shallow bay and brought in a catch of mackerel."
"They seined the river as the salmon moved upstream."
"The police officer seined the crowd, searching for the fleeing suspect."
A seine is one of the oldest fishing methods in the world: its name comes from an ancient Germanic word for a large net.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does seined come from?
The headword is an inflected form of the English verb “seine,” meaning to fish with a seine net. The noun “seine” comes through Middle English from Old English “segne,” a Germanic word for a large fishing net. Related forms in English include “seining,” the present participle, and “seiner,” a person or vessel that uses a seine.
Related word forms
How seined is actually used
In literal fishing contexts, “seined” describes using a large encircling net. Its figurative use for capturing people or things is uncommon but established.