sign
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
From Old French signe, from Latin signum (“a mark, sign, token”); root uncertain.
Noun [edit]
sign (plural signs)
- (sometimes also used uncountably) A visible indication.
- Their angry expressions were a clear sign they didn't want to talk.
- Those clouds show signs of raining soon.
- Those clouds show little sign of raining soon.
- Signs of disease are objective, whereas symptoms are subjective.
- The hunters found deer sign at the end of the trail.
- A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
- The sign in the window said "for rent".
- A traffic sign.
- I missed the sign at the corner so I took the wrong turn.
- A meaningful gesture.
- I gave them a thumbs-up sign.
- Any of several specialized non-alphabetic symbols.
- The sharp sign indicates that the pitch of the note is raised a half step.
- (astrology) An astrological sign.
- Your sign is Taurus? That's no surprise.
- (mathematics) Positive or negative polarity.
- I got the magnitude right, but the sign was wrong.
- A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:
- And why not, as well as our dumbe men dispute, argue and tell histories by signes?
- 2007, Marcel Danesi, The Quest for Meaning:
- In American Sign Language (ASL), for instance, the sign for 'catch' is formed with one hand (in the role of agent) moving across the body (an action) to grasp the forefinger of the other hand (the patient).
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:
- (uncountable) sign language in general
- Sorry, I don't know sign very well.
- An omen.
- "It's a sign of the end of the world," the doom prophet said.
- (medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from sign (noun)
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
visible indication
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flat object bearing a message
traffic sign
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meaningful gesture
any of several specialized non-alphabetic symbols
astrological sign
positive or negative polarity
linguistic unit in sign language
sign language in general
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omen
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Etymology 2 [edit]
From Old French signer, from Latin signare (“to mark, seal, indicate, signify”), from signum (“a mark, sign”); see sign as a noun.
Verb [edit]
sign (third-person singular simple present signs, present participle signing, simple past and past participle signed)
- (transitive) To write one's signature on (a document), thus showing authorship.
- I forgot to sign that letter to my aunt.
- (transitive) To give legal consent by writing one's signature.
- I'm not signing anything without my lawyer present.
- (transitive) To persuade to sign a contract.
- It was a great month. I managed to sign three major players.
- (intransitive) To write one's signature.
- Please sign on the dotted line.
- (intransitive) (colloquial) To give autographs.
- I'm sorry, I don't sign.
- (intransitive) To communicate using sign language.
- I'm learning to sign so I can talk to my new neighbor.
- (transitive) To communicate using (sign langauge).
- The chimp was taught to sign ASL.
- (obsolete) To be a sign or omen.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from sign (verb)
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
to write one's signature on a document
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to give legal consent by writing one's signature
to persuade to sign a contract.
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to write one's signature somewhere
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to give autographs
intransitive: to communicate using sign language
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transitive: to communicate using sign langauge
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External links [edit]
- sign in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- sign in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
