English Dictionary

Definition of “sign”

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sign (saɪnPronunciation for sign) 

Definitions

noun

  1. something that indicates or acts as a token of a fact, condition, etc, that is not immediately or outwardly observable
  2. an action or gesture intended to convey information, a command, etc
    1. a board, placard, etc, displayed in public and inscribed with words or designs intended to inform, warn, etc
    2. ((as modifier)  ⇒ a sign painter 
  4. an arbitrary or conventional mark or device that stands for a word, phrase, etc
  5. mathematics logic 
    1. any symbol indicating an operation  ⇒ a plus sign an implication sign 
    2. the positivity or negativity of a number, quantity, or expression  ⇒ subtraction from zero changes the sign of an expression 
  6. an indication or vestige  ⇒ the house showed no signs of being occupied 
  7. a portentous or significant event
  8. an indication, such as a scent or spoor, of the presence of an animal
  9. medicine any objective evidence of the presence of a disease or disorder Compare symptom (sense 1)
  10. astrology Compare sign of the zodiac

verb

  1. to write (one's name) as a signature to (a document, etc) in attestation, confirmation, ratification, etc
  2. (intr) to to make a sign; signal
  3. to engage or be engaged by written agreement, as a player for a team, etc
  4. (tr) to outline in gestures a sign over, esp the sign of the cross
  5. (tr) to indicate by or as if by a sign; betoken
  6. (intr) to use sign language

See also

sign away , sign in , sign off , sign on , sign out , sign up

Alternative Forms

ˈsignable adjective

Word Origin

C13: from Old French signe,  from Latin signum a sign

Translations

  • British English: sign Pronunciation for sign A sign is a mark or a shape that has a special meaning.In maths, + is a plus sign and - is a minus sign.saɪn NOUN In maths, + is a plus sign and - is a minus sign.
  • Spanish: señal Pronunciation for señal nf
  • French: signe Pronunciation for signe nm
  • German: Zeichen Pronunciation for Zeichen nnt Zeichen
  • Chinese: 标志Pronunciation for 标志 n
  • Arabic: عَلَامَةPronunciation for عَلَامَة n
  • Portuguese: sinalPronunciation for sinal nm
  • Russian: знакPronunciation for знак nm
  • Croatian: znakPronunciation for znak nm
  • Czech: známkaPronunciation for známka nf
  • Danish: tegnPronunciation for tegn nnt
  • Dutch: tekenPronunciation for teken nnt
  • Finnish: merkkiPronunciation for merkki n
  • Greek: σήμαPronunciation for σήμα nnt
  • Italian: segnoPronunciation for segno nm
  • Japanese: 兆候Pronunciation for 兆候 n
  • Korean: 표시Pronunciation for 표시 n
  • Norwegian: tegnPronunciation for tegn nnt
  • Polish: znakPronunciation for znak nm
  • Brazilian Portuguese: sinalPronunciation for sinal nm
  • European Spanish: señal Pronunciation for señal nf
  • Swedish: teckenPronunciation for tecken nnt
  • Thai: ป้ายPronunciation for ป้าย n
  • Turkish: işaretPronunciation for işaret n
  • Vietnamese: dấu hiệuPronunciation for dấu hiệu n
  • British English: sign Pronunciation for sign When you sign a document, you write your name on it.Before his operation the patient was asked to sign a consent form. Just sign here, please.saɪn VERB Before his operation the patient was asked to sign a consent form. Just sign here, please.
  • Spanish: firmar Pronunciation for firmar v
  • French: signer Pronunciation for signer vt
  • German: unterschreiben Pronunciation for unterschreiben v
  • Chinese: 签名Pronunciation for 签名 v
  • Arabic: يُوقِّعُPronunciation for يُوقِّعُ v
  • Portuguese: assinarPronunciation for assinar v
  • Russian: подписывать(ся)Pronunciation for подписывать(ся) v
  • Croatian: davati znakovePronunciation for davati znakove v
  • Czech: podepsatPronunciation for podepsat v podepisovat
  • Danish: underskrivePronunciation for underskrive v
  • Dutch: tekenenPronunciation for tekenen v
  • Finnish: allekirjoittaaPronunciation for allekirjoittaa v
  • Greek: υπογράφωPronunciation for υπογράφω v
  • Italian: firmarePronunciation for firmare v
  • Japanese: 署名するPronunciation for 署名する v
  • Korean: 서명하다Pronunciation for 서명하다 v
  • Norwegian: signerePronunciation for signere v
  • Polish: podpisaćPronunciation for podpisać v podpisywać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: assinarPronunciation for assinar v
  • European Spanish: firmar Pronunciation for firmar v
  • Swedish: undertecknaPronunciation for underteckna v
  • Thai: เซ็นต์ชื่อPronunciation for เซ็นต์ชื่อ v
  • Turkish: işaret etmekPronunciation for işaret etmek v
  • Vietnamese: ký tênPronunciation for ký tên v
  • British English: sign You can make a sign to somebody by moving something.They gave me a sign to show that everything was all right.saɪn NOUN They gave me a sign to show that everything was all right.
  • French: faire un signe v
  • Arabic: إشارَة n
  • Brazilian Portuguese: sinal nm

Usage examples

  • Quickly, Lirael looked back, but there was no sign of the Disreputable Dog.
    Garth Nix, LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
  • "None of you smelled a rat that there was no sign of the man falling in?
    Country Life (2004)
  • Full back Wayne Murphy, showing little sign of pressure, smoothly guided over a difficult, touch-line kick from the left for 20-19.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • Meanwhile, Danny Lennon, the Thistle captain, and Willie Howie are the latest to sign new two-year deals with the club.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • Today, it has been adopted by the medical profession as a sign of health.
    Amoda, MOVING INTO ECSTASY: An Urban Mystic's Guide to Movement, Music and Meditation (2001)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'S'

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