- sign
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 sth that shows that sth exists/may happenADJECTIVE▪ classic, clear, definite, distinct, obvious, real, sure, telltale, unmistakable▪
He displayed the classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
▪the telltale signs of drug abuse
▪ telling▪The lack of interest in the media is a telling sign of the industry's health.
▪ subtle▪I detected the subtle signs of disapproval.
▪ external, outward, visible▪All the outward signs of growth in the market are there.
▪ tangible▪ early, first▪Strong dislikes of foods are early signs of pregnancy.
▪ increasing▪ encouraging, good, healthy, hopeful, positive, promising, welcome▪He was silent. It was a good sign.
▪ bad, disturbing, troubling (esp. AmE)▪ danger, ominous, warning▪The warning signs were present from the start.
▪Are appliances you buy safe? We point out the danger signs.
▪ vital▪She checked his vital signs and found that his pulse was slow.
VERB + SIGN▪ bear, have▪The murder had all the signs of a crime of passion.
▪ betray, display, exhibit, give, show▪His face betrayed no sign of emotion.
▪By now the fish was showing signs of distress.
▪ point to sth▪Early signs point to business improving.
▪ detect, find, notice, see, spot▪We detected signs that they were less than enthusiastic about their honeymoon.
▪ miss▪ ignore▪He ignored the warning signs of mounting health problems.
▪ interpret (sth as), read, recognize, see sth as▪ look for, watch for▪Look carefully for signs of damp.
SIGN + VERB▪ appear, come▪The first signs of spring appeared.
▪ indicate sth, point to sth▪All the signs pointed to it being more than just a coincidence.
PREPOSITION▪ at a/the sign▪He disappeared at the first sign of trouble.
▪ sign from▪The people regarded the earthquake as a sign from God.
▪ sign of▪This move will be seen as a sign of weakness.
▪There's no sign of the snow stopping.
PHRASES▪ sign of life▪There was no sign of life in the house (= there seemed to be nobody there).
▪ a sign of the times▪It's a real sign of the times: thirty small businesses face financial ruin this month.
▪ a sign of things to come▪I hope this incident isn't a sign of things to come.
▪ not the least sign (of sb/sth), not the slightest sign (of sb/sth)▪He spoke up without the slightest sign of nervousness.
▪ the signs and symptoms▪Get this test if you have signs and symptoms of diabetes.
2 board, etc. giving information/a warningADJECTIVE▪ flashing, illuminated (esp. BrE), neon▪ painted▪ faded▪She spotted a faded sign in the window of a small restaurant.
▪ hand-lettered (AmE), handwritten▪ home-made (esp. AmE)▪ cardboard, wooden▪ exit▪ pub (BrE), shop (esp. BrE), store (esp. AmE), street▪ lawn, yard (both AmE)▪I put out a lawn sign in my yard (= to show political support).
▪ direction (esp. BrE), highway (esp. AmE), motorway (in the UK), road, traffic▪ warning▪ picket (AmE)▪He gets $300 a week from the union for carrying a picket sign.
VERB + SIGN▪ erect, hang, hang out, hang up, place, post (esp. AmE), put up▪Someone had put up a ‘For Sale’ sign.
▪ carry, hold up, wave (all esp. AmE)▪The demonstrators shouted and waved signs.
▪ wear (usually figurative)▪He might as well have been wearing a sign saying ‘I am a tourist’.
▪ see, spot▪ read▪ ignore▪He yelled at us for ignoring the stop sign.
▪ follow▪Just follow the signs for Bridgend.
SIGN + VERB▪ read sth▪The sign read ‘No Fishing’.
▪ announce sth, proclaim sth, say sth, state sth, tell sb sth▪ bear sth▪hundreds of signs bearing the single word ‘Peace’
▪ indicate sth, mark sth▪This sign indicates that photography is allowed.
▪ point▪The sign pointed down a narrow road.
▪ advertise sth▪ warn▪signs warning against trespass
▪ hang▪ flash▪A neon sign flashed above the door.
PREPOSITION▪ sign for, sign to▪Follow the road and you'll see signs for the turn-off.
3 movement with a particular meaningADJECTIVE▪ rude▪ peace, thumbs-up, V (usually V-sign)▪She made a peace sign while having her picture taken.
VERB + SIGN▪ give (sb), make▪She gave me a thumbs-up sign.
▪ communicate through▪They had to communicate through signs and grunts.
SIGN + NOUN▪ language, system▪We used sign language to talk.
PREPOSITION▪ sign for▪the sign for ‘woman’ in sign language
PHRASES▪ make the sign of the cross▪The priest made the sign of the cross over the dead body.
4 mark/symbol with a particular meaningADJECTIVE▪ dollar, euro, pound, etc. (In the US, the pound sign refers to ‘\#’. In the UK, it refers to the currency sign ‘£’.)▪ equals, minus, plus, etc.▪ peace▪a T-shirt with a peace sign on it
▪ call▪Bravo Two Zero was the call sign of an eight-man SAS team.
▪a pilot who goes by the call sign Blaze
VERB + SIGN▪ draw▪He drew a huge dollar sign on the paper.
▪ use▪I used the Chinese sign for ‘father’ instead of ‘uncle’.
SIGN + VERB▪ mean sth▪What does this sign mean?
PREPOSITION▪ sign for▪I can't remember the sign for ‘square root’.
5 star signADJECTIVE▪ birth, star▪ astrological, zodiac▪the twelve astrological signs
▪Mars rules the zodiac sign of Aries.
VERB + SIGN▪ be born underPREPOSITION▪ sign of▪people born under the sign of Gemini
PHRASES▪ the signs of the Zodiac{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}verbADVERB▪ duly▪One copy of this letter should be duly signed and returned to us.
▪ formally, officially▪ personally▪a first edition of the book, personally signed by the author
▪ online▪ up▪You can sign up online for language classes.
VERB + SIGN▪ be required to, have to, need to▪This is the contract you will be required to sign.
▪ ask sb to, persuade sb to▪ agree to▪ refuse to▪ want to▪ be willing toPREPOSITION▪ for▪The courier asked me to sign for the parcel.
Sign is used with these nouns as the object: ↑accord, ↑agreement, ↑armistice, ↑artist, ↑autograph, ↑bill, ↑card, ↑ceasefire, ↑charter, ↑cheque, ↑confession, ↑consent, ↑constitution, ↑contract, ↑convention, ↑copy, ↑deal, ↑declaration, ↑decree, ↑directive, ↑document, ↑extension, ↑form, ↑initial, ↑lease, ↑legislation, ↑letter, ↑manifesto, ↑memo, ↑memorandum, ↑minute, ↑name, ↑note, ↑oath, ↑order, ↑pact, ↑paper, ↑paperwork, ↑petition, ↑pitcher, ↑player, ↑pledge, ↑proclamation, ↑receipt, ↑register, ↑slip, ↑treaty, ↑truce, ↑undertaking, ↑warrant, ↑will
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
