Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

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

sign

2 verb
     
Related topics: Languages
sign2 S3 W3
1

name

[intransitive and transitive] 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

[intransitive and transitive]BE 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

[intransitive] to try to tell someone something or ask them to do something by using signs and movements [= signal]
sign to somebody to do something
He signed to the maid to leave the room.
sign for somebody to do something
She signed for us to go inside.
8

language

[intransitive and transitive]SLL to use or translate something into sign language
—signer noun [countable]

sign something ↔ away

phrasal verb
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 something

phrasal verb
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

phrasal verb
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 somebody ↔ in

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

sign off

phrasal verb
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 somebody off

British English 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 something ↔ off

British English sign off on something American English 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

phrasal verb
1 British EnglishPEW to state officially that you are unemployed by signing a form, so that you can get money from the government
2PM 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

phrasal verb
1DLT to write your name in a book when you leave a place such as a hotel, office, or club
2

sign something ↔ 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 somebody ↔ 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 something ↔ over

phrasal verb
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

phrasal verb
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 something
Over half the people who signed up to do engineering were women.
2

sign somebody ↔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.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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