Definition of sign noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sign

noun

/saɪn/

showing something

[countable, uncountable] an event, an action, a fact, etc. that shows that something exists, is happening or may happen in the future synonym indication

Looking back, I should have seen the signs.
a clear/visible sign
an encouraging sign
a positive sign
The fact that he didn't say ‘no’ immediately is a good sign.
If I had noticed the warning signs, none of this would have happened.
Early signs point to business improving.
sign of somebody/something This move will be seen as a sign of weakness.
Bankers say they can definitely detect signs of a recovery.
Headaches may be a sign of stress.
There is no sign of John anywhere.
Soldiers swarmed the city looking for any sign of her.
There was no sign of life in the house (= there seemed to be nobody there).
Her work is showing some signs of improvement.
I hope this incident isn't a sign of things to come.
Get this test if you have signs and symptoms of diabetes.
He is reading the signs all wrong.
at a sign of something Call the police at the first sign of trouble.
sign of doing something The gloomy weather shows no sign of improving.
sign of somebody/something doing something There is little sign of this happening in the immediate future.
sign (that)… If an interview is too easy, it's a sure sign that you haven't got the job.
There were no outward signs that anything was wrong.

Synonyms signsignindication ▪ symptom ▪ symbol ▪ indicator ▪ signalThese are all words for an event, an action or a fact that shows that something exists, is happening or may happen in the future.sign an event, an action or a fact that shows that something exists, is happening or may happen in the future:

Headaches may be a sign of stress.

indication (rather formal) a remark or sign that shows that something is happening or what somebody is thinking or feeling:

They gave no indication as to how the work should be done.

sign or indication?An indication often comes in the form of something that somebody says; a sign is usually something that happens or something that somebody does.symptom a change in your body or mind that shows that you are not healthy; a sign that something exists, especially something bad:

Symptoms include a sore throat.
The rise in inflation was just one symptom of the poor state of the economy.

symbol a person, an object or an event that represents a more general quality or situation:

The dove is a universal symbol of peace.

indicator (rather formal) a sign that shows you what something is like or how a situation is changing:

the economic indicators

signal an event, an action or a fact that shows that something exists, is happening or may happen in the future:

Chest pains can be a warning signal of heart problems.

sign or signal?Signal is often used to talk about an event, action or fact that suggests to somebody that they should do something. Sign is not usually used in this way: Reducing prison sentences would send the wrong signs to criminals. Patterns

a(n) sign/indication/symptom/symbol/indicator/signal of something
a(n) sign/indication/symptom/indicator/signal that…
a clear sign/indication/symptom/symbol/indicator/signal
an obvious sign/indication/symptom/symbol/indicator
an early sign/indication/symptom/indicator/signal
an outward sign/indication/symbol
to give a(n) sign/indication/signal

Extra Examples

All the outward signs of growth in the market are there.
All the signs pointed to it being more than just a coincidence.
Are appliances you buy safe? We point out the danger signs.
He spoke up without the slightest sign of nervousness.
His face betrayed no sign of emotion.
By now the fish was showing signs of distress.
I detected the subtle signs of disapproval.
He displayed the classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Look carefully for signs of damp.
The first signs of spring appeared.
Strong dislikes of foods are early signs of pregnancy.
the telltale signs of drug abuse
The lack of interest in the media is a telling sign of the industry's health.
The murder had all the signs of a crime of passion.
We detected signs that they were less than enthusiastic about the holiday.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

classic
clear
definite
…

verb + sign

bear
have
betray
…

sign + verb

appear
come
indicate something
…

preposition

at a/the sign
sign from
sign of
…

phrases

sign of life
a sign of the times
a sign of things to come
…

See full entry

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

for information/warning

[countable] a piece of paper, wood or metal that has writing or a picture on it that gives you information, instructions, a warning, etc.

to put up/post a sign
to carry/hold a sign
a street/stop sign
a shop/pub sign
a traffic sign
The sign read ‘No Fishing’.
The sign on the wall said ‘Now wash your hands’.
There was a 'Closed' sign in the window.
Follow the signs for the city centre.

movement/sound

[countable] a movement or sound that you make to tell somebody something

He gave a thumbs-up sign (= to show approval/agreement).
sign from somebody She was waiting for some kind of sign from him.
At a sign from her, the band would start to play.
as a sign of something He gave a slight bow as a sign of respect.
sign to do something She shook her head in a desperate sign to tell the child to remain silent.
sign for somebody to do something She nodded as a sign for us to sit down.
Three blasts on the whistle was the sign for visitors to leave.
to make the sign of the cross (= an act of moving one hand in the shape of a cross, done by Christians to show respect for God or by a priest to bless somebody/something)

symbol

[countable] a mark used to represent something, especially in mathematics

a plus/minus sign (= +/−)
a dollar/pound sign (= $/£)
sign for something the sign for ‘square root’

Extra Examples

I used the Chinese sign for ‘father’ instead of ‘uncle’.
The wizard drew some strange signs in the air with his wand.
What does this sign mean?
a T-shirt with a peace sign on it

Topics Maths and measurementb1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

dollar
euro
pound
…

verb + sign

draw
use

sign + verb

mean something

preposition

sign for

See full entry

star sign

[countable] (informal) a star sign (= one of the twelve signs of the zodiac)

What sign are you?

Extra Examples

Mars rules the zodiac sign of Aries.
people born under the sign of Gemini
the twelve astrological signs

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

birth
star
astrological
…

verb + sign

be born under

preposition

sign of

phrases

the signs of the Zodiac

See full entry

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French signe (noun), signer (verb), from Latin signum ‘mark, token’.

Idioms

a sign of the times

something that you feel shows what things are like now, especially how bad they are
- The increasing number of people owning guns is an alarming sign of the times.

See sign in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sign in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

Check pronunciation: sign

Other results

All matches

Phrasal verbs

Idioms

Nearby words

trait

noun

From the Word list

Oxford 5000

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day