sign

sign¹ W2S3 [saın] n

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1¦(gives information)¦

2¦(shows something is true)¦

3¦(movement or sound)¦

4¦(symbol)¦

5¦(star sign)¦

6¦(language)¦

7 there is no sign of somebody/something

8 sign of life

9 sign of the times

10 the sign of the Cross

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[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: signe, from Latin signum 'mark, sign, image, seal']

1.) ¦(GIVES INFORMATION)¦

a piece of paper, metal, or wood with words or a picture that gives people information, warnings, or instructions

▪ a sign on the door

▪ road signs

▪ a no smoking sign

▪ Don't ignore the fog warning signs .

2.) ¦(SHOWS SOMETHING IS TRUE)¦

an event, fact etc that shows that something is happening or that something is true or exists

= ↑indication sign of

▪ A red morning sky is a sign of an impending storm.

▪ Crying is seen as a sign of weakness.

▪ A paw print in the dust was a sign that a tiger was close.

▪ There were no obvious signs of engine wear.

▪ Raised blood pressure is a warning sign .

▪ If she can move her leg, that's a very good sign .

▪ His door was closed. That was a bad sign .

▪ She gave no outward signs of her problems.

▪ He kept walking up and down, which was a sure sign he was worried.

▪ The tell-tale signs of drug abuse are mainly to do with behaviour.

▪ There are signs that the situation is improving.

▪ There were no signs of forced entry into the house.

▪ The economy is beginning to show signs of recovery.

▪ The play shows every sign of being a big success.

▪ At the first sign of trouble they had disappeared to England.

3.) ¦(MOVEMENT OR SOUND)¦

a movement, sound etc that you make in order to tell someone something

▪ the thumbs-up sign (=a sign that you make with your hand to show that something is successful)

give/make a sign

▪ Wait until I give the sign.

sign that

▪ Bruce made a sign that he was ready to leave.

sign for sb to do sth

▪ Three short blasts on the whistle was the sign to begin.

4.) ¦(SYMBOL)¦

a mark or shape that has a particular meaning

= ↑symbol

▪ the dollar sign

▪ a minus sign

5.) ¦(STAR SIGN)¦ also star sign

a group of stars, representing one of 12 parts of the year, that some people believe influences your behaviour and your life

▪ What sign are you?

6.) ¦(LANGUAGE)¦[U]

a language that uses hand movements instead of spoken words, used by people who cannot hear

= ↑sign language

7.) there is no sign of sb/sth

used to say that someone or something is not in a place or cannot be found

▪ I waited for two hours but there was still no sign of her.

8.) sign of life

a) a movement that shows that someone is alive, or something that shows that there are people in a particular place

▪ She listened intently for signs of life.

b) something that shows that a situation is becoming more active

▪ Commercial property markets are now showing definite signs of life .

9.) sign of the times

something that shows how people live now

▪ It's just a sign of the times that many children have mobile phones.

10.) the sign of the Cross

the hand movement that some Christians make in the shape of a cross, to show respect for God or to protect themselves from evil

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COLLOCATES for sense 2

sign (that)

clear/obvious sign

warning sign

good/positive/encouraging sign

bad sign

outward/visible sign

sure sign (=clear proof)

tell-tale signs (=signs that clearly show something bad)

there are signs/there are no signs

show signs of (doing) something

show/give every sign of doing something (=used to say that something is very likely)

take/see something as a sign (that) (=understand something to mean something)

at the first sign of something (=immediately)

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sign ²

sign² W3S3 v

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1¦(name)¦

2 sign an agreement/contract/treaty etc

3¦(music/sport)¦

4 sign on the dotted line

5 sign a bill/legislation/agreement into law

6 (all) signed and sealed

7¦(use movements)¦

8¦(language)¦

Phrasal verbs

　sign something<=>away

　sign for something

　sign in

　sign off

　sign on

　sign out

　sign something<=>over

　sign up

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: signer, from Latin signare, from signum; SIGN¹]

1.) ¦(NAME)¦ [I and T]

to write your ↑signature on something to show that you wrote it, agree with it, or were present

▪ Sign here, please.

▪ The artist had signed his name in the corner of the painting.

▪ You forgot to sign the cheque.

▪ Over a hundred people have signed the petition.

▪ Steffi signs her autograph every time she's asked.

▪ a signed photo of Paul McCartney

2.) sign an agreement/contract/treaty etc

to make a document, agreement etc official and legal by writing your ↑signature on it

▪ France has just signed a new trade deal with Japan.

3.) ¦(MUSIC/SPORT)¦ [I and T]

if a football team or music company signs someone, or if someone signs for them, that person signs a contract in which they agree to work for them

▪ CBS Records had signed her back in 1988 on a three-album contract.

sign for/to/with

▪ Miller worked in the shipyards before signing for Rangers.

▪ Before long they had signed with Virgin.

4.) sign on the dotted line informal

to officially agree to something by signing a contract

▪ Make sure the repairs are done before you sign on the dotted line.

5.) sign a bill/legislation/agreement into law

if someone in authority signs something into law, they make it part of the law by signing an official document

6.) (all) signed and sealed also (all) signed, sealed, and delivered

with all the necessary legal documents signed

▪ It'll all be signed and sealed by Friday, and you can move in then.

7.) ¦(USE MOVEMENTS)¦

to try to tell someone something or ask them to do something by using signs and movements

= ↑signal sign to sb to do sth

▪ He signed to the maid to leave the room.

sign for sb to do sth

▪ She signed for us to go inside.

8.) ¦(LANGUAGE)¦ [I and T]

to use or translate something into ↑sign language

>signer[i] n

sign away [sign sth<=>away] phr v

to sign a document that gives your property or legal rights to someone else

▪ She had signed away all claims to the house.

▪ I felt as if I was signing away my life.

sign for [sign for sth] phr v

to sign a document to prove that you have received something

▪ This is a registered letter - someone will have to sign for it.

sign in phr v

1.) to write your name on a form, in a book etc when you enter a place such as a hotel, office, or club

▪ Remember to sign in at reception.

2.) sign sb<=>in

to write someone else's name in a book so that they are allowed to enter a club, an office etc

sign off phr v

1.) informal to end a radio or television programme by saying goodbye

2.) to write your final message at the end of an informal letter

▪ It's getting late so I'll sign off now. Love, John.

3.) sign sb off

BrE if a doctor signs someone off, he or she gives them a note saying that they are ill and not able to work

▪ For the last month she has been signed off sick from work.

4.) sign sth<=>off

BrE sign off on sth AmE

to show that you approve of a plan or that something is finished by signing an official document

▪ Major repainting work now needs to be signed off by a qualified engineer.

sign on phr v

1.) BrE to state officially that you are unemployed by signing a form, so that you can get money from the government

2.) to sign a document to show that you agree to work for someone

sign on as

▪ He signed on as a soldier in the US army.

sign on with

▪ I'll probably have to sign on with a nursing agency.

sign out phr v

1.) to write your name in a book when you leave a place such as a hotel, office, or club

2.) sign sth<=>out

to write your name on a form or in a book to show that you have taken or borrowed something

▪ Bernstein signed out a company car.

3.) sign sb<=>out

to write in a book that someone is allowed to leave somewhere such as a school, office etc

▪ Parents must sign pupils out when collecting them for doctor's or dentist's appointments.

sign over [sign sth<=>over] phr v

to sign an official document that gives your property or legal rights to someone else

sign something<=>over to

▪ When he became ill, he signed his property in France over to his son.

sign up phr v

1.) to put your name on a list for something because you want to take part in it

sign up for

▪ I'm thinking of signing up for a yoga course.

sign up to do sth

▪ Over half the people who signed up to do engineering were women.

2.) sign sb <=>up

if someone is signed up by an organization, they sign a contract in which they agree to work for that organization

▪ Several well-known researchers have been signed up for the project.