Sign vs. Signal

Signnoun

A visible indication.

‘Their angry expressions were a clear sign they didn’t want to talk.’; ‘Those clouds show signs of raining soon.’; ‘Those clouds show little sign of raining soon.’; ‘Signs of disease are objective, whereas symptoms are subjective.’; ‘The sharp sign indicates that the pitch of the note is raised a half step.’; ‘I gave them a thumbs-up sign.’;

Signalverb

(ambitransitive) To indicate; to convey or communicate by a signal.

‘I signalled my acquiescence with a nod.’;

Signnoun

Physical evidence left by an animal.

‘The hunters found deer sign at the end of the trail.’;

Signalverb

(transitive) To communicate with (a person or system) by a signal.

‘Seeing the flames, he ran to the control room and signalled headquarters.’;

Signnoun

A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.

‘The sign in the window advertised a room for rent.’; ‘I missed the sign at the corner so I took the wrong turn.’;

Signaladjective

Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.

‘a signal exploit; a signal service; a signal act of benevolence’;

Signnoun

A wonder; miracle; prodigy.

Signalnoun

A sign made for the purpose of giving notice to a person of some occurence, command, or danger; also, a sign, event, or watchword, which has been agreed upon as the occasion of concerted action.

‘All obeyedThe wonted signal and superior voiceOf this great potentate.’;

Signnoun

(astrology) An astrological sign.

‘Your sign is Taurus? That’s no surprise.’;

Signalnoun

A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.

‘The weary sun . . . Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.’; ‘There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.’;

Signnoun

(mathematics) Positive or negative polarity. (Note: it is improper to place a sign on the number zero)

‘I got the magnitude right, but the sign was wrong.’;

Signaladjective

Noticeable; distinguished from what is ordinary; eminent; remarkable; memorable; as, a signal exploit; a signal service; a signal act of benevolence.

‘As signal now in low, dejected stateAs erst in highest, behold him where he lies.’;

Signnoun

A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.

Signaladjective

Of or pertaining to signals, or the use of signals in conveying information; as, a signal flag or officer.

Signnoun

(uncountable) Sign language in general.

‘Sorry, I don’t know sign very well.’;

Signalverb

To communicate by signals; as, to signal orders.

Signnoun

An omen.

‘”It’s a sign of the end of the world,” the doom prophet said.’;

Signalverb

To notify by a signals; to make a signal or signals to; as, to signal a fleet to anchor.

Signnoun

(medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.

Signalnoun

any communication that encodes a message;

‘signals from the boat suddenly stopped’;

Signnoun

A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.

Signalnoun

any incitement to action;

‘he awaited the signal to start’; ‘the victory was a signal for wild celebration’;

Signverb

To make a mark

Signalnoun

an electric quantity (voltage or current or field strength) whose modulation represents coded information about the source from which it comes

Signverb

To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol.

‘The Queen signed her letter with the regal signet.’;

Signalverb

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’;

Signverb

(transitive) To mark, to put or leave a mark on.

Signalverb

be a signal for or a symptom of;

‘These symptoms indicate a serious illness’; ‘Her behavior points to a severe neurosis’; ‘The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued’;

Signverb

(transitive) To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one’s signature on it.

Signaladjective

notably out of the ordinary;

‘the year saw one signal triumph for the Labour party’;

Signverb

(transitive) More generally, to write one’s signature on (something) as a means of identification etc.

‘I forgot to sign that letter to my aunt.’;

Signal

In signal processing, a signal is a function that conveys information about a phenomenon. In electronics and telecommunications, it refers to any time varying voltage, current, or electromagnetic wave that carries information.

Signverb

To write (one’s name) as a signature.

‘Just sign your name at the bottom there.’; ‘I received a letter from some woman who signs herself ‘Mrs Trellis’.’;

Signverb

(intransitive) To write one’s signature.

‘Please sign on the dotted line.’;

Signverb

(intransitive) To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc.

Signverb

(transitive) To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract.

‘It was a great month. I managed to sign three major players.’;

Signverb

To make the sign of the cross

Signverb

(transitive) To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross.

Signverb

(reflexive) To cross oneself.

Signverb

To indicate

Signverb

(intransitive) To communicate using a gesture or signal.

Signverb

(transitive) To communicate using gestures to (someone).

‘He signed me that I should follow him through the doorway.’;

Signverb

(intransitive) To use sign language.

Signverb

(transitive) To furnish (a road etc.) with signs.

Signnoun

That by which anything is made known or represented; that which furnishes evidence; a mark; a token; an indication; a proof.

‘Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.’; ‘It shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.’;

Signnoun

Something serving to indicate the existence, or preserve the memory, of a thing; a token; a memorial; a monument.

‘What time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign.’;

Signnoun

Any symbol or emblem which prefigures, typifles, or represents, an idea; a type; hence, sometimes, a picture.

‘The holy symbols, or signs, are not barely significative; but what they represent is as certainly delivered to us as the symbols themselves.’; ‘Saint George of Merry England, the sign of victory.’;

Signnoun

A word or a character regarded as the outward manifestation of thought; as, words are the sign of ideas.

‘They made signs to his father, how he would have him called.’;

Signnoun

Hence, one of the gestures of pantomime, or of a language of a signs such as those used by the North American Indians, or those used by the deaf and dumb.

Signnoun

A military emblem carried on a banner or a standard.

‘The shops were, therefore, distinguished by painted signs, which gave a gay and grotesque aspect to the streets.’;

Signnoun

The twelfth part of the ecliptic or zodiac.

Signnoun

A character indicating the relation of quantities, or an operation performed upon them; as, the sign + (plus); the sign – (minus); the sign of division ÷, and the like.

Signnoun

Any character, as a flat, sharp, dot, etc.

‘An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.’;

Signverb

To represent by a sign; to make known in a typical or emblematic manner, in distinction from speech; to signify.

‘I signed to Browne to make his retreat.’;

Signverb

To make a sign upon; to mark with a sign.

‘We receive this child into the congregation of Christ’s flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross.’;

Signverb

To affix a signature to; to ratify by hand or seal; to subscribe in one’s own handwriting.

‘Inquire the Jew’s house out, give him this deed,And let him sign it.’;

Signverb

To assign or convey formally; – used with away.

Signverb

To mark; to make distinguishable.

Signverb

To be a sign or omen.

Signverb

To make a sign or signal; to communicate directions or intelligence by signs.

Signverb

To write one’s name, esp. as a token of assent, responsibility, or obligation.

Signnoun

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’;

Signnoun

a public display of a (usually written) message;

‘he posted signs in all the shop windows’;

Signnoun

any communication that encodes a message;

‘signals from the boat suddenly stopped’;

Signnoun

structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted;

‘the highway was lined with signboards’;

Signnoun

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

Signnoun

(medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease;

‘there were no signs of asphixiation’;

Signnoun

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’;

Signnoun

an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come;

‘he hoped it was an augury’; ‘it was a sign from God’;

Signnoun

a gesture that is part of a sign language

Signnoun

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

‘The bond between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary’;

Signnoun

a character indicating a relation between quantities;

‘don’t forget the minus sign’;

Signverb

mark with one’s signature; write one’s name (on);

‘She signed the letter and sent it off’; ‘Please sign here’;

Signverb

approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation;

‘All parties ratified the peace treaty’; ‘Have you signed your contract yet?’;

Signverb

be engaged by a written agreement;

‘He signed to play the casino on Dec. 18’; ‘The soprano signed to sing the new opera’;

Signverb

engage by written agreement;

‘They signed two new pitchers for the next season’;

Signverb

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’;

Signverb

place signs, as along a road;

‘sign an intersection’; ‘This road has been signed’;

Signverb

communicate in sign language;

‘I don’t know how to sign, so I could not communicate with my deaf cousin’;

Signverb

make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate

Signadjective

used of the language of the deaf

Signnoun

an object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else

‘the shops are full, which is a sign that the recession is past its worst’; ‘flowers are often given as a sign of affection’;

Signnoun

something regarded as an indication of what is happening or going to happen

‘the signs are that counterfeiting is growing at an alarming rate’;

Signnoun

used to indicate that someone or something is not where they should be or are expected to be

‘there was still no sign of her’;

Signnoun

an indication of a disease detectable by a medical practitioner even if not apparent to the patient

‘clinical signs of liver disease’;

Signnoun

a miracle regarded as evidence of supernatural power (chiefly in biblical and literary use)

‘he observed signs and miracles taking place’;

Signnoun

the trail of a wild animal

‘wolverine sign’;

Signnoun

a gesture or action used to convey information or an instruction

‘she gave him the thumbs-up sign’;

Signnoun

an action or reaction that conveys something about someone

‘she gave no sign of having seen him’;

Signnoun

a gesture used in a system of sign language.

Signnoun

short for sign language

Signnoun

a symbol or word used to represent an operation, instruction, concept, or object in algebra, music, or other subjects

‘the integral sign ∫’;

Signnoun

a word or gesture given according to prior arrangement as a means of identification; a password.

Signnoun

a notice on public display that gives information or instructions in a written or symbolic form

‘I didn’t see the ‘Stop’ sign’;

Signnoun

each of the twelve equal sections into which the zodiac is divided, named from the constellations formerly situated in each, and associated with successive periods of the year according to the position of the sun on the ecliptic

‘a person born under the sign of Virgo’; ‘a sign of the Zodiac’;

Signnoun

the positiveness or negativeness of a quantity

‘the last four bits hold a pattern to represent the sign of the number’;

Signverb

write one’s name on (a letter, card, document, etc.) to identify oneself as the writer or sender

‘the card was signed by the whole class’;

Signverb

authorize (a document or other written or printed material) by attaching a signature

‘the two countries signed a non-aggression treaty’;

Signverb

write (one’s name) for purposes of identification or authorization

‘she signed her name in the book’; ‘she signed herself Imogen’; ‘he signed on the dotted line’;

Signverb

engage (someone, typically a sports player or a musician) to work for one by signing a contract with them

‘the manager plans to sign a new goalkeeper’;

Signverb

commit oneself to work by signing a contract

‘a new striker has signed for Blackburn’;

Signverb

use gestures to convey information or instructions

‘she signed to her husband to leave the room’;

Signverb

communicate in sign language

‘she was learning to sign’;

Signverb

express or perform (something) in sign language

‘the theatre routinely puts on signed performances’; ‘the Deaf Association Choir signed the hymns’;

Signverb

indicate with signposts or other markers

‘the footpath is signed by the gate’;

Signverb

mark or consecrate with the sign of the cross

‘he signed himself with the cross’;

Sign

A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm, or medical symptoms a sign of disease.