sign

1. noun

1)

a sign of affection

Syn:

indication, signal, symptom, pointer, suggestion, intimation, mark, manifestation, demonstration, token, evidence; literary sigil

2)

a sign of things to come

Syn:

portent, omen, warning, forewarning, augury, presage; promise, threat

3)

at his sign the soldiers followed

Syn:

gesture, signal, wave, gesticulation, cue, nod

4)

he read the sign on the wall

Syn:

notice, signpost, signboard, warning sign, road sign, traffic sign, guidepost, marquee

5)

the dancers were daubed with signs

Syn:

symbol, mark, cipher, letter, character, figure, hieroglyph, ideogram, rune, emblem, device, logo

See note at emblem

2. verb

1)

he signed the letter

Syn:

write one's name on, autograph, endorse, initial, countersign, ink; formal subscribe

2)

the government signed the agreement

Syn:

endorse, validate, certify, authenticate, sanction, authorize; agree to, approve, ratify, adopt, give one's approval to; informal give something the go-ahead, give something the green light, give something the thumbs up

3)

he signed his name

Syn:

write, inscribe, pen

4)

we have signed a new player

Syn:

recruit, hire, engage, employ, take on, appoint, sign on/up, enlist

5)

she signed to Susan to leave

See signal I 2. 1)

•

- sign on

- sign up

- sign over

••

sign, augury, indication, manifestation, omen, signal, symptom, token

What's the difference between a sign and a signal? The former (in this sense) is a general term for anything that gives evidence of an event, a mood, a quality of character, a mental or physical state, or a trace of something (a sign of approaching rain; a sign of good breeding; a sign that someone has entered the house). While a sign may be involuntary or even unconscious, a signal is always voluntary and is usually deliberate. A ship that shows signs of distress may or may not be in trouble; but one that sends a distress signal is definitely in need of help. Indication, like sign, is a comprehensive term for anything that serves to indicate or point out (he gave no indication that he was lying). A manifestation is an outward or perceptible indication of something (the letter was a manifestation of his guilt), and a symptom is an indication of a diseased condition (a symptom of pneumonia). An object that proves the existence of something abstract is called a token (she gave him a locket as a token of her love). Omen and augury both pertain to foretelling future events, with augury being the general term for a prediction of the future and omen being a definite sign foretelling good or evil (they regarded the stormy weather as a bad omen).