seal off

Idioms  

1. Also, seal up. Close tightly or barricade to prevent entry or exit. For example, We're sealing off the unused wing of the building, or The jar is tightly sealed up. Dating from the first half of the 1900s, this idiom uses seal in the sense of “close securely,” as one used to do with a seal of wax.

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Example Sentences

Defence Minister Israel Katz previously said the army had completely sealed off the town.

From Barron's

Shortly after the arrests began, local government and security officials, along with representatives of the Communist Party agency overseeing ethnic and religious affairs, sealed off the village.

From The Wall Street Journal

Land, air and sea borders -- which were all sealed off on Wednesday -- were reportedly reopened, however.

From Barron's

A major street has been partly sealed off in Glasgow city centre after a fire broke out in a six-storey commercial building.

From BBC

A large area had been sealed off with police tape in the roads surrounding the house.

From BBC

Related Words

• circle
• enclose
• surround