I. ˈsān noun
also seine net
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English segne; akin to Old High German segīna seine; both from a prehistoric West Germanic word borrowed from Latin sagena seine, from Greek sagēnē — more at sumpter
: a large net having one edge provided with sinkers and the other with floats that hangs vertically in the water and encloses fish when its ends are brought together or drawn ashore — compare pound net , purse seine
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
: to fish with or catch fish with a seine
going to the creek to seine — Elizabeth M. Roberts
seining for alligators … at the edge of the river — Don Brown
transitive verb
1. : to seek or catch with a seine
schooners out seining mackerel
2. : to fish or seek in (something) with or as if with a seine
the fleet seines the lower river daily
seined such old tomes … for obscure facts — Time