26984 words

sign

22 definitions • 49 examples
1
to write your name, usually on a written or printed document, to show that you agree with its contents or have written or created it yourself:

Examples:

Sign here, please.
He signed his name at the end of the letter.
[ + obj + noun ] He signed himself "Mark Taylor".
She said the painting was by Picasso, but it wasn't signed.
2
in sport, to make a legal written agreement to employ a player:

Examples:

The team has just signed a new player.
3
to give an order or information, or make a request, using hand and body movements:

Examples:

[ + to infinitive ] He signed for/to the waiter to bring him another drink.
[ + that ] He signed to the waiter that he wanted another drink.
4
to use sign language (= language used by people who cannot hear or talk)
5

Examples:

a road sign
a shop sign
6
a movement of the body that gives information or an instruction:

Examples:

as a sign that She pointed to her watch as a sign that it was getting late and she wanted to leave.
make/give a sign to He made/gave a sign to his boyfriend to stop talking.
make the sign of the cross The priest made the sign of the cross (= made the shape of a cross by moving his hand between four points on his chest) when he entered the church.
7
a language that uses hand, face, and body movements rather than spoken words, used by and to people who cannot hear:

Examples:

The hearing children in the family all learned sign.
The nanny taught him sign language, so he spoke in sign.
8
something showing that something else exists or might happen or exist in the future:

Examples:

sign of His inability to handle the situation is a sure sign of weakness.
[ + that ] The fact that he's eating more is a sign that he's feeling better.
no sign of I've searched for my hat, but there's no sign of it anywhere (= I can't find it).
sign of life There was no sign of life in the building (= there seemed to be no one in it).
show a sign of Billy's work at school has shown signs of improvement this year.
there is every sign that There is every sign that the worst is over.
all the signs are (that) UK All the signs are (that) he is not going to take the position.
9
a written or printed mark that has a standard meaning:

Examples:

+ and - are mathematical signs.
£ is the sign for the British pound.
10
a written or printed mark that has a standard meaning:

Examples:

The symbol for subtraction is the minus sign.
11
a device that gives information to people who see it:

Examples:

a stop sign
A neon sign marked the entrance to the parking garage.
12
a movement of the hands or body that gives information or an instruction:

Examples:

He kept giving me the cut-throat sign to end the speech.
13
a signal that something exists or that shows what might happen in the future:

Examples:

She was at least sharing her problems with me, and that was a sign of progress.
There was nobody in the place, and I thought that was a bad sign.
There are signs that he is thinking of running for president.
14
to write your name on a document to show that you agree with it or that you have written it yourself:

Examples:

[ T ] to sign a letter/contract/check
[ I ] Please sign for the package when it arrives (= write your name on a form to show that you have received it).
15
If an organization signs someone, that person has officially become a member of the organization by agreeing to a contract:

Examples:

[ T ] The team signed four new players this week.
16

Examples:

[ + that clause ] He signed that he’d be ready in five minutes.
17
to write your name, usually on a written or printed document, for example to show that you agree with its contents or have written or created it yourself:

Examples:

sign a contract/agreement/declaration We've already agreed the details and I just need to sign a contract.
sign a letter/form/cheque
Please sign your name below if you are available to help.
Sign here please.
18
finished and official because all the necessary documents have been signed:

Examples:

The project can start now that the contract has been signed and sealed.
19
to agree to do something, especially by signing an agreement:

Examples:

Many people sign on the dotted line without reading their policy documents.
20

Examples:

The store had a handwritten sign in the window.
A sign advertising the closing-down sale was clearly visible from the road.
21
a written or printed mark that has a standard meaning:

Examples:

+ is the plus sign and % is the percentage sign.
22
something that shows that something else exists or might happen or exist in the future:

Examples:

a sign of sth His inability to handle the situation is a sure sign of weakness.
a sign that There are signs that the economy is improving
Neither side is showing signs of backing down.
All the signs are that the worst is over.

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