assign

¹as·sign

verb \ə-ˈsīn\

Definition of ASSIGN

transitive verb

1

: to transfer (property) to another especially in trust or for the benefit of creditors

2

a : to appoint to a post or duty <assigned them to light duty> <assigned me two clerks> b : to appoint as a duty or task <assigns 20 pages for homework>

3

: to fix or specify in correspondence or relationship <assign counsel to the defendant> <assign a value to the variable>

4

a : to ascribe as a motive, reason, or cause especially after deliberation b : to consider to belong to (a specified period of time)

— as·sign·abil·i·ty \-ˌsī-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— as·sign·able \-ˈsī-nə-bəl\ adjective

— as·sign·er \ə-ˈsī-nər\ or as·sign·or \ˌa-sə-ˈnȯr, ˌa-ˌsī-, ə-ˌsī-\ noun

Examples of ASSIGN

1. The teacher assigned us 50 math problems for homework!
2. She was assigned to the embassy in India.
3. The new teacher was assigned to the science laboratory.
4. The plane landed at its assigned gate.

Origin of ASSIGN

Middle English, from Anglo-French assigner, from Latin assignare, from ad- + signare to mark, from signum mark, sign

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to ASSIGN

Synonyms: entrust, charge, commission, task, trust

Antonyms: discharge, dismiss, expel, fire

Related Words: confer, impose; commit, confide, consign, delegate, recommend, relegate, repose; allocate, allot; authorize, empower, invest

Near Antonyms: begrudge, deny, deprive (of); keep, retain, stint, withhold; appropriate, arrogate, confiscate

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at ascribe

Rhymes with ASSIGN

A-line, affine, airline, align, alkyne, alpine, at sign, balkline, baseline, beeline, benign, bloodline, blue line, blush wine, bovine, bowline, branchline, breadline, bright-line, buntline, bustline, byline, call sign, canine, caprine, carbine, carmine, cervine, chow line, clothesline, cloud nine, coastline, combine, compline, condign, confine, consign, corvine, cosign, cutline, dateline, deadline, decline, define, design, divine, dragline, driveline, earthshine, Einstein, eiswein, end line, enshrine, entwine, equine, ethyne, fall line, fault line, feline, ferine, first-line, flatline, flight line, foul line, fräulein, frontline, front line, goal line, gold mine, grapevine, guideline, hairline, hard-line, hard pine, headline, hemline, high sign, hipline, Holbein, hotline, ice wine, incline, indign, in fine, in-line, Irvine, jawline, jug wine, landline, land mine, lang syne, lifeline, load line, longline, lupine, mainline, main line, malign, midline, moline, moonshine, neckline, off-line, old-line, online, opine, outline, outshine, ovine, Pauline, peace sign, Petrine, pipeline, piscine, pitch pine, plotline, plumb line, plus sign, pontine, porcine, potline, pound sign, propine, punch line, rapine, recline, redline, red pine, refine, reline, repine, resign, Rhine wine, ridgeline, roofline, Sabine, saline, Scotch pine, scrub pine, setline, shoreline, short line, sideline, sight line, skyline, snow line, soft-line, spring line, straight-line, strandline, straw wine, streamline, strip mine, strychnine, subline, sunshine, supine, syncline, taurine, tie-line, times sign, topline, touchline, towline, tramline, trapline, tree line, trephine, trotline, truckline, trunk line, tumpline, turbine, untwine, ursine, vespine, V sign, vulpine, waistline, white line, white pine, white wine, woodbine, yard line, zebrine, Z line