Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Signify

Sig′ni-fy

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Signified
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Signifying
.]
[F.
signifier
, L.
significare
;
signum
a sign +
-ficare
(in comp.) to make. See
Sign
,
Noun.
, and
-fy
.]
1.
To show by a sign; to communicate by any conventional token, as words, gestures, signals, or the like; to announce; to make known; to declare; to express;
as, a
signified
his desire to be present
.
I ’ll to the king; and
signify
to him
That thus I have resign'd my charge to you.
Shakespeare
The government should
signify
to the Protestants of Ireland that want of silver is not to be remedied.
Swift.
2.
To mean; to import; to denote; to betoken.
He bade her tell him what it
signified
.
Chaucer.
A tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying
nothing.
Shakespeare
Signify is often used impersonally; as, it signifies nothing, it does not signify, that is, it is of no importance.
Syn. – To express; manifest; declare; utter; intimate; betoken; denote; imply; mean.

Webster 1828 Edition


Signify

SIG'NIFY

,
Verb.
T.
[L. significo; signum, a sign, and facio, to make.]
1.
To make known something, either by signs or words; to express or communicate to another any idea, thought, wish, a hod, wink, gesture, signal or other sign. A man signifies his mind by his voice or by written characters; he may signify his mind by a nod or other motion, provided the person to whom he directs it, understands what is intend by it. A general or an admiral signifies his commands by signals to officers as a distance.
2.
To mean; to have or contain a certain sense. The word sabbath signifies rest. Less, in composition, as in faithless, signifies destitution or want. The prefix re, in recommend, seldom signifies any thing.
3.
To import; to weigh; to have consequence; used in particular phrases; as, it signifies much or little; it signifies nothing. What does it signify? What signify the splendors of a court? Confession of sin without reformation of life, can signify nothing in the view of God.
4.
To make known; to declare. The government should signify to the protestants of Ireland that want of silver is not to be remedied.

Definition 2024


signify

signify

English

Verb

signify (third-person singular simple present signifies, present participle signifying, simple past and past participle signified)

  1. To give (something) a meaning or an importance.
  2. To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.
    • (Can we date this quote?) William Shakespeare
      I'll to the king; and signify to him / That thus I have resign'd my charge to you.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Jonathan Swift
      The government should signify to the Protestants of Ireland that want of silver is not to be remedied.
  3. To mean; to betoken.
    • (Can we date this quote?) William Shakespeare
      A tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations