SIGN


Meaning of SIGN in English

— signless , adj. — signlike , adj.

/suyn/ , n.

1. a token; indication.

2. any object, action, event, pattern, etc., that conveys a meaning.

3. a conventional or arbitrary mark, figure, or symbol used as an abbreviation for the word or words it represents.

4. a motion or gesture used to express or convey an idea, command, decision, etc.: Her nod was a sign that it was time to leave.

5. a notice, bearing a name, direction, warning, or advertisement, that is displayed or posted for public view: a traffic sign; a store sign.

6. a trace; vestige: There wasn't a sign of them.

7. an arbitrary or conventional symbol used in musical notation to indicate tonality, tempo, etc.

8. Med. the objective indications of a disease.

9. any meaningful gestural unit belonging to a sign language.

10. an omen; portent: a sign of approaching decadence.

11. See sign of the zodiac .

12. See sign language (def. 1).

13. Usually, signs . traces, as footprints, of a wild animal.

14. Math.

a. a plus sign or minus sign used as a symbol for indicating addition or subtraction.

b. a plus sign or minus sign used as a symbol for indicating the positive or negative value of a quantity, as an integer.

c. See multiplication sign .

d. See division sign .

e. a symbol, as !, used to indicate a factorial operation.

v.t.

15. to affix a signature to: to sign a letter.

16. to write as a signature: to sign one's name.

17. to engage by written agreement: to sign a new player.

18. to mark with a sign, esp. the sign of the cross.

19. to communicate by means of a sign; signal: He signed his wish to leave.

20. to convey (a message) in a sign language.

21. Obs. to direct or appoint by a sign.

v.i.

22. to write one's signature, as a token of agreement, obligation, receipt, etc.: to sign for a package.

23. to make a sign or signal: He signed to her to go away.

24. to employ a sign language for communication.

25. to obligate oneself by signature: He signed with another team for the next season.

26. sign away or over , to assign or dispose of by affixing one's signature to a document: She signed over her fortune to the church.

27. sign in (or out ) to record or authorize one's arrival (or departure) by signing a register.

28. sign off ,

a. to withdraw, as from some responsibility or connection.

b. to cease radio or television broadcasting, esp. at the end of the day.

c. Informal. to become silent: He had exhausted conversation topics and signed off.

d. to indicate one's approval explicitly if not formally: The president is expected to sign off on the new agreement.

29. sign on ,

a. to employ; hire.

b. to bind oneself to work, as by signing a contract: He signed on as a pitcher with a major-league team.

c. to start radio or television broadcasting, esp. at the beginning of the day.

d. Computers. log 1 (def. 17a).

30. sign up , to enlist, as in an organization or group; to register or subscribe: to sign up for the navy; to sign up for class.

[ 1175-1225; (n.) ME signe signum mark, sign, ensign, signal, image; (v.) ME signen to mark with a sign, esp. the sign of the cross signer signare to mark with a sign, inscribe, affix a seal to, deriv. of signum ]

Syn. 1. trace, hint, suggestion. 1, 4 . signal. 10. indication, hint, augury. SIGN, OMEN, PORTENT name that which gives evidence of a future event. SIGN is a general word for whatever gives evidence of an event - past, present, or future: Dark clouds are a sign of rain or snow. An OMEN is an augury or warning of things to come; it is used only of the future, in general, as good or bad: birds of evil omen. PORTENT, limited, like OMEN, to prophecy of the future, may be used of a specific event, usually a misfortune: portents of war.

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .