sign adj : used of the language of the deaf [syn: gestural, sign(a), signed, sign-language(a)] n
1. a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened); "he showed signs of strain"; "they welcomed the signs of spring" [syn: mark]
2. a public display of a (usually written) message; "he posted signs in all the shop windows"
3. any communication that encodes a message; "signals from the boat suddenly stopped" [syn: signal, signaling]
4. structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted; "the highway was lined with signboards" [syn: signboard]
5. (astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided [syn: sign of the zodiac, star sign, mansion, house, planetary house]
6. (medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease; "there were no signs of asphixiation"
7. having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges); "he got the polarity of the battery reversed"; "charges of opposite sign" [syn: polarity]
8. an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come; "he hoped it was an augury"; "it was a sign from God" [syn: augury, foretoken, preindication]
9. a gesture that is part of a sign language
10. a fundamental linguistic unit linking a signifier to that which is signified; "The bond between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary"--de Saussure 1
11. a character indicating a relation between quantities; "don't forget the minus sign" v
12. mark with one's signature; write one's name (on); "She signed the letter and sent it off"; "Please sign here" [syn: subscribe]
13. approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation; "All parties ratified the peace treaty"; "Have you signed your contract yet?" [syn: ratify]
14. be engaged by a written agreement; "He signed to play the casino on Dec. 18"; "The soprano signed to sing the new

A sign is an entity which signifies another entity. A natural sign is an entity which bears a causal relation to the signified entity, as thunder is a sign of storm. A conventional sign signifies by agreement, as a full stop signifies the end of a sentence. (Contrast a symbol which stands for another thing, as a flag may be a symbol of a nation).

The way in which a sign signifies is a topic in semiotics and philosophy of language.

Any given signifier or symbol is dependent upon that which is intended, expressed, or signified in a semiotic relationship of:

Thus, for example, people may speak of the significance of events, the signification of characters, the meaning of sentences, or the import of a communication. These different relationships that exist between sorts of signs can help people and sorts of things that are signified can be called the modes of signification.

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