sign
nounCA, US, UK /saɪn/ · AU /sɑe̯n/
Etymology From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum and signal. Partially displaced native token.
13 senses
- 1A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.
- 2An omen.
- 3A property of the body that indicates a disease and…
- 4A mark or another symbol used to represent something.
- 5Physical evidence left by an animal.
- 6A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a…
- 7A wonder; miracle; prodigy.
- 8An astrological sign.
- 9Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.
- 10A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by…
- 11Sign language in general.
- 12A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or…
- 13A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.
1
A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.
- Their angry expressions were a clear sign they didn't want to talk.
- Those clouds show signs of raining soon.
3 more examples
- Those clouds show little sign of raining soon.
- Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
- No, I don't know why you're not fair / I give you my love, but you don't care / So what is right and what is wrong? / Gimme a sign1993 January 18, Dee Dee Halligan, Junior Torello, “What Is Love”, in The Album, performed by Haddaway:
2
An omen.
- "It's a sign of the end of the world," the doom prophet said.
3
Medicine, Sciences A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, can be detected objectively by someone other than the patient.
- Signs of disease are objective, whereas symptoms are subjective.
4
A mark or another symbol used to represent something.
- The sharp sign indicates that the pitch of the note is raised a half step.
- I gave them a thumbs-up sign.
1 more example
- The sound of the Orlando dinner train whistle reminds me that it ' s already Friday, an auditory sign. Another auditory sign, a distant thunder clap, warns me of limited computer time before our evening thunderstorm moves in.2000, Geoffrey McGuinness, Carmen McGuinness, How to Increase Your Child's Verbal Intelligence: The Language Wise Method, Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 38:
- The hunters found deer sign at the end of the trail.
- Animal sign is the key to eliminating guesswork when setting your traps. Only trap where there is sign. Sign is anything the animal leaves as a trace that indicates it may have passed through the area.2015, Dave Canterbury, Advanced Bushcraft: An Expert Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival, page 127:
6
A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
- The sign in the window advertised a room for rent.
- I missed the sign at the corner so I took the wrong turn.
1 more example
- The shops were, therefore, distinguished by painted signs, which gave a gay and grotesque aspect to the streets.1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter III, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
7
A wonder; miracle; prodigy.
- And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 4:17:
8
Astrology, Human sciences, Mysticism, Philosophy, Sciences An astrological sign.
- Your sign is Taurus? That's no surprise.
9
Mathematics, Sciences Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.
- I got the magnitude right, but the sign was wrong.
10
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.
- And why not, as well as our dumbe men dispute, argue and tell histories by signes?1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
- 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).2007, Marcel Danesi, The Quest for Meaning:
11
Sign language in general.
- Sorry, I don't know sign very well.
12
A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or information (e.g. a word of written language); (linguistics, semiotics) a unit consisting of a signifier and a signified concept. (See sign (semiotics).)
- A Noun substantive and a Noun adjective may be thus distinguished, that a substantive may have the sign a or the before it; as, puer, a boy, the boy; but an adjective cannot, as, bonus, good.1692, Thomas Bennet, Short Introduction of Grammar ... of the Latine Tongue:
- A Pronoun is a Noun implying a Person, but not admitting the Sign a or the before it.1753, Charles Davies, Busby's English Introduction to the Latin Tongue Examined, page 11:
1 more example
- And some linguistic signs, like “the”, “and” or “with”, may lack apparent objects, though they are clearly meaningful and interpretable.2008, Eero Tarasti, Robert S. Hatten, A Sounding of Signs: Modalities and Moments in Music, Culture, and Philosophy : Essays in Honor of Eero Tarasti on His 60th Anniversary:
13
A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.
- The great Ensign of Messiah blaz'd Aloft by Angels born, his Sign in Heav'n.1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- Derived terms
180 terms
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