Sealed Orders
Preserved but no longer current.
The term applied to orders delivered in a sealed package to naval or military commanders which they are not to read or consult before a certain time, or before reaching a certain locality, or except in certain specified conditions.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Sealed Orders” mean?
The term applied to orders delivered in a sealed package to naval or military commanders which they are not to read or consult before a certain time, or before reaching a certain locality, or except in certain specified conditions.
Is “Sealed Orders” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.