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sign: Meaning and Definition of
sign
Pronunciation: (sīn), [key] — n.
- a token; indication.
- any object, action, event, pattern, etc., that conveys a meaning.
- a conventional or arbitrary mark, figure, or symbol used as an abbreviation for the word or words it represents.
- 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.
- a notice, bearing a name, direction, warning, or advertisement, that is displayed or posted for public view: a traffic sign; a store sign.
- a trace; vestige: There wasn't a sign of them.
- an arbitrary or conventional symbol used in musical notation to indicate tonality, tempo, etc.
- the objective indications of a disease.
- any meaningful gestural unit belonging to a sign language.
- an omen; portent: a sign of approaching decadence.
- See
- See(def. 1).
- Usually,traces, as footprints, of a wild animal.
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- a plus sign or minus sign used as a symbol for indicating addition or subtraction.
- a plus sign or minus sign used as a symbol for indicating the positive or negative value of a quantity, as an integer.
- Seemultiplication sign.
- Seedivision sign.
- a symbol, as &fullradic; or !, used to indicate a radical or factorial operation.
—v.t. - to affix a signature to: to sign a letter.
- to write as a signature: to sign one's name.
- to engage by written agreement: to sign a new player.
- to mark with a sign, esp. the sign of the cross.
- to communicate by means of a sign; signal: He signed his wish to leave.
- to convey (a message) in a sign language.
- to direct or appoint by a sign.
—v.i. - to write one's signature, as a token of agreement, obligation, receipt, etc.: to sign for a package.
- to make a sign or signal: He signed to her to go away.
- to employ a sign language for communication.
- to obligate oneself by signature: He signed with another team for the next season.
- to assign or dispose of by affixing one's signature to a document: She signed over her fortune to the church.
- to record or authorize one's arrival (or departure) by signing a register.
- He had exhausted conversation topics and signed off.
- to withdraw, as from some responsibility or connection.
- to cease radio or television broadcasting, esp. at the end of the day.
- Informal.to become silent:He had exhausted conversation topics and signed off.
- to indicate one's approval explicitly if not formally:The president is expected to sign off on the new agreement.
- He signed on as a pitcher with a major-league team.
- to employ; hire.
- to bind oneself to work, as by signing a contract:He signed on as a pitcher with a major-league team.
- to start radio or television broadcasting, esp. at the beginning of the day.
- Computers.log1 (def. 17a).
- to enlist, as in an organization or group; to register or subscribe: to sign up for the navy; to sign up for class.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.