A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

sea plane • sea-borne plane
sea plane —an airplane with floats instead of wheels for land-
ing on water: The area is accessible only by boat or sea-plane,
and there are no automobiles on the island.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
compound sailplane— a light glider: Sailplanes are capable of
soaring flight, that is flying without loss of height or gaining
height.
sea-borne plane —an airplane on board an aircraft-carrier:
This plane will be more basic in engineering than its sea-borne
cousins.
sea wolf • water-wolf
sea wolf —
1
. a voracious sea-fish, especially the bass (Labrax
lupus) and the wolf-fish (Anarrhichas lupus): These fishes have
large teeth and powerful jaws. Called also sea cat, sea wolf,
and swinefish. 2. (also: sea dog ) a sea-robber; a pirate: If you
would like to discover more about the piratical way of life, try
this publication which covers all aspects of the life of a sea
wolf.
water-wolf —
1
. the pike: Another advantage in the use of a
spinner bait is that it has only one hook to remove so the
“water wolf ” is easier to release. 2. the otter: The country is
also home to the giant otter or “water-wolf,” which is the
rarest otter in the world.
seaboard • surfboard
seaboard —the part of a country which borders on the sea;
the coastline: Come winter, Tundra Swans are to be found
along the seaboard of the western (and to a lesser extent the
eastern) United States.
surf board —a narrow buoyant board used in surfing in which
the surfer is carried along the face of a breaking wave: When
you’re still, it’s nearly impossible to stand on the surf board.
seal something off • seal something up
seal something off —prevent access to and exit from an area
or space: Police have sealed off the street where the gunman
is hiding.
seal something up —close smth. tightly: They sealed up the
cracks in the window to stop the icy wind from blowing in.