Note: See the Table of Arbitrary Signs, p. 1924. Sign manual. (a) (Eng. Law) The royal signature superscribed at the top of bills of grants and letter patent, which are then sealed with the privy signet or great seal, as the case may be, to complete their validity. (b) The signature of one's name in one's own handwriting. Craig. Tomlins. Wharton.
Syn. — Token; mark; note; symptom; indication; signal; symbol; type; omen; prognostic; presage; manifestation. See Emblem.
SIGN Sign, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Signed; p. pr. & vb. n. Signing.] Etym: [OE. seinen to bless, originally, to make the sign of the cross over; in this sense fr. ASS. segnian (from segn, n.), or OF. seignier, F. signer, to mark, to sign (in sense 3), fr. L. signare to mark, set a mark upon, from signum. See Sign, n.]
1. 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. Sir W. Scott.
2. 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. Bk. of Com Prayer.
3. 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.
Shak.
4. To assign or convey formally; — used with away.
5. To mark; to make distinguishable. Shak.
SIGN
Sign, v. i.
1. To be a sign or omen. [Obs.] Shak.