sign

verb

signed; signing; signs

transitive verb

1

a

: cross sense 2

b

: to place a sign on or mark by signs

sign a trail

c

: to represent or indicate by a sign

2

a

: to affix a signature to

signed the contract

: ratify or attest with a signature or seal

sign a bill into law

sign a confession

b

: to assign or convey formally

signed over his property to his brother

c

: to write down (one's name)

Please sign your name here.

d

: to affix one's name to

a signed review

3

: to communicate by making a sign or by sign language

4

: to engage or hire by securing the signature of on a contract of employment

—often used with up or on

intransitive verb

1

: to write one's name in token of assent, responsibility, or obligation

signed for the packages

signed with the team for one season

2

a

: to make a sign or signal

b

: to use sign language

signee

ˌsī-ˈnē 

noun

signer

ˈsī-nər 

noun

Synonyms of sign

• autograph
• pen

Examples of sign in a Sentence

Sign your name on the bottom line.

She met with fans and signed autographs.

Please sign at the bottom of the application.

You forgot to sign the document.

He was forced to sign the confession.

The contract was signed by both parties.

The author will be signing copies of his books today.

The contract should be signed, sealed, and delivered by tomorrow.

The team signed the pitcher to a three-year contract.

He is signed to a three-year contract.

Recent Examples on the Web

Xi’s visit coincides with the 65th anniversary of the two countries’ 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, China’s only mutual defense treaty, which was signed less than a decade after Chinese troops fought with North Korea in the Korean war. —Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 5 June 2026

Now, that also has to take into account that Norman can become a free agent on July 1 (if not extended prior) and can sign with the team of his choice. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 June 2026

Fleming is the only high school recruit TCU signed this cycle. —Steven Johnson june 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026

Later, President Calvin Coolidge signed a resolution in favor of establishing it in 1921. —Finch Walker, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French signer, from Latin signare to mark, sign, seal, from signum

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing sign

• a sign of the times
• at sign
• at the first sign
• Babinski sign
• Babinski's sign
• call sign
• division sign
• dollar sign
• equal sign
• hash sign
• high sign
• Indian sign
• lollipop sign
• minus sign
• multiplication sign
• negative sign
• number sign
• peace sign
• percent sign
• plus/minus sign
• plus sign
• pound sign
• radical sign
• re-sign
• road sign
• show no sign/signs of
• sign away
• sign for
• sign in
• sign into law
• sign language
• sign of aggregation
• sign off
• sign of the cross
• sign on
• sign one's own death warrant
• sign on the dotted line
• sign out
• sign over
• sign up
• star sign
• stop sign
• take (something) as a sign
• the sign of the cross
• times sign
• V sign
• warning sign

Rhymes for sign

• brine
• chine
• cline
• dine
• fein
• fine
• gwine
• hine
• jain
• klein
• kline
• line

Kids Definition

sign

1 of 2 noun

ˈsīn 

1

a

: a motion, action, or movement of the hand by which a thought is expressed or a command or wish made known

made a sign for them to be quiet

b

: signal entry 1 sense 1

c

: sign language

2

: a mark having a generally understood meaning and used in place of words

3

: one of the 12 parts of the zodiac

4

a

: a symbol (as a flat or sharp) used in musical notation

b

: a symbol (as ÷ or √‾) indicating a mathematical operation

also : one of two symbols + and − characterizing a number as positive or negative

5

: a public notice that advertises something or gives information

6

a

: something that indicates what is present or is to come

no sign of life

first signs of spring

b

: something that provides evidence of plant or animal disease

sign

2 of 2 verb

1

a

: to make or place a sign on

b

: to represent or indicate by a sign

2

: to write one's name on to show that one accepts, agrees with, or is responsible for

sign a check

sign a letter

sign a contract

3

: to hire by getting to sign something (as a contract)

sign a new ball player

4

: to use sign language

signee

ˌsī-ˈnē 

noun

signer noun

Etymology

Middle English signe "a gesture that conveys a thought or command," from early French signe (same meaning), from Latin signum "mark, sign, image" — related to designate, seal entry 3, signal entry 1, significant

Medical Definition

sign

noun

ˈsīn 

1

: one of a set of gestures used to represent language

2

: an objective evidence of disease especially as observed and interpreted by the physician rather than by the patient or lay observer

narrow retinal vessels are a sign of arteriosclerosis

see brudzinski sign, chvostek's sign, homans' sign, kernig sign, physical sign, placental sign, romberg's sign, tinel's sign, vital signs, von graefe's sign compare symptom

Legal Definition

sign

transitive verb

1

: to affix a signature to : ratify or attest by hand or seal

sign a bill into law

specifically : to write or mark something (as a signature) on (a document) as an acknowledgment of one's intention to be bound by it

2

: to assign or convey formally

signed the property over to his brother

signer noun