Noun
- 1. sign, mark, clue, clew, cue
- usage: a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened); "he showed signs of strain"; "they welcomed the signs of spring"
- 2. sign, communication
- usage: a public display of a message; "he posted signs in all the shop windows"
- 3. signal, signaling, sign, communication
- usage: any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message; "signals from the boat suddenly stopped"
- 4. signboard, sign, structure, construction
- usage: structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted; "the highway was lined with signboards"
- 5. sign of the zodiac, star sign, sign, mansion, house, planetary house, region, part
- usage: (astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided
- 6. sign, evidence, grounds
- usage: (medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease; "there were no signs of asphyxiation"
- 7. polarity, sign, opposition, oppositeness
- usage: having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges); "he got the polarity of the battery reversed"; "charges of opposite sign"
- 8. augury, sign, foretoken, preindication, experience
- usage: an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come; "he hoped it was an augury"; "it was a sign from God"
- 9. sign, gesture, motion
- usage: a gesture that is part of a sign language
- 10. sign, language unit, linguistic unit
- usage: a fundamental linguistic unit linking a signifier to that which is signified; "The bond between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary"--de Saussure
- 11. sign, mathematical notation
- usage: a character indicating a relation between quantities; "don't forget the minus sign"
Verb
- 1. sign, subscribe, write
- usage: mark with one's signature; write one's name (on); "She signed the letter and sent it off"; "Please sign here"
- 2. sign, ratify, validate, formalize, formalise
- usage: approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation; "All parties ratified the peace treaty"; "Have you signed your contract yet?"
- 3. sign, contract, undertake
- usage: be engaged by a written agreement; "He signed to play the casino on Dec. 18"; "The soprano signed to sing the new opera"
- 4. sign, contract, sign on, sign up, hire, engage, employ
- usage: engage by written agreement; "They signed two new pitchers for the next season"
- 5. sign, signal, signalize, signalise, communicate, intercommunicate
- usage: communicate silently and non-verbally by signals or signs; "He signed his disapproval with a dismissive hand gesture"; "The diner signaled the waiters to bring the menu"
- 6. sign, put, set, place, pose, position, lay
- usage: place signs, as along a road; "sign an intersection"; "This road has been signed"
- 7. sign, communicate, intercommunicate
- usage: communicate in sign language; "I don't know how to sign, so I could not communicate with my deaf cousin"
- 8. bless, sign, gesticulate, gesture, motion
- usage: make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate
Adjective
- 1. gestural, sign(prenominal), signed, sign-language(prenominal), communicative (vs. uncommunicative), communicatory
- usage: used of the language of the deaf
WordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University.
All rights reserved.Definition and meaning of sign (Dictionary)