sign

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted

   the highway was lined with signboards

2. 2
   noun

   a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent, as a visible clue that something has happened

   We showed signs of strain after over 30 hours in transit.

3. 3
   noun

   any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

   signals from the boat suddenly stopped

4. 4
   noun

   a public display of a message

   I posted signs in all the shop windows.

5. 5
   noun

   a character indicating a relation between quantities

   don't forget the minus sign

6. 6
   noun

   a fundamental linguistic unit linking a signifier to that which is signified

   The bond between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary--de Saussure

7. 7
   noun

   any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease

   There were no signs of asphyxiation.

8. 8
   verb

   be engaged by a written agreement

   Our band signed to play three shows this month.

Etymology

From Middle English signen, seinen, seinien, partly from Old English seġnian (“to mark; sign”) and partly from Anglo-Norman seigner, seiner et al., Old French signer et al., and their source Latin signāre (“to mark, seal, indicate, signify”); all from Latin signum (“a mark, sign”); see Etymology 1, above. Compare sain.