See signify in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "consignify"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "foresignify"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "nonsignifying"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "plurisignify"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "resignify"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "signifyin'"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "signifyin(g)"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "signifyingly"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dʰeh₁-"
},
"expansion": "",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "Inherited"
},
"expansion": "Inherited",
"name": "glossary"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "signifien",
"4": "",
"5": "",
"g": "",
"g2": "",
"g3": "",
"id": "",
"lit": "",
"nocat": "",
"pos": "",
"sc": "",
"sort": "",
"tr": "",
"ts": ""
},
"expansion": "Middle English signifien",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "signifien"
},
"expansion": "Inherited from Middle English signifien",
"name": "inh+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fro",
"3": "signifier"
},
"expansion": "Old French signifier",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la",
"3": "significare"
},
"expansion": "Latin significare",
"name": "der"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "signifies",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "signifying",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "signified",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "signified",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "signify (third-person singular simple present signifies, present participle signifying, simple past and past participle signified)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"sig‧ni‧fy"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"To create a sign out of something."
],
"id": "en-signify-en-verb-YLcwJAQv",
"links": [
[
"sign",
"sign"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"To give (something) a meaning or an importance."
],
"id": "en-signify-en-verb-fMzJ7xrg",
"links": [
[
"meaning",
"meaning"
],
[
"importance",
"importance"
]
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "znača",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "знача"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "označavam",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "означавам"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "signifi"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "merkitä"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "tarkoittaa"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "signifier"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "got",
"lang": "Gothic",
"roman": "bandwjan",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "sēmaínō",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "σημαίνω"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "merkitä"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "tähentää"
},
{
"_dis1": "4 65 4 16 10",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "significo"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "6 6 40 5 43",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:",
"text": "I’ll to the king; and signify to him / That thus I have resign’d my charge to you.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 25:27:",
"text": "For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1729, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan, “The Hardships of the Irish being deprived of their Silver, and decoyed into America,”, in The Intelligencer, number 19, pages 207–208:",
"text": "In my humble Opinion, it would be no unseasonable Condescension, if the Government would Graciously please to signify to the pour loyal Protestant Subjects of Ireland, either that this miserable Want of Silver, is not possible to be remedy’d in any Degree […] or else, that it doth not stand with the good Pleasure of England, to suffer any Silver at all among us.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter VIII, in The Woodlanders […], volume III, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 149:",
"text": "Tapping at the window, he signified that she should open the casement, and when she had done this he handed in the key to her.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1952, Neville Shute, “Chapter Two”, in The Far Country, London: Heinemann:",
"text": "“Do you want to write a cheque, Granny?” The old eyes signified assent.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.; to indicate, announce."
],
"id": "en-signify-en-verb-mpH-BZ1w",
"links": [
[
"show",
"show"
],
[
"intention",
"intention"
],
[
"sign",
"sign"
],
[
"indicate",
"indicate"
],
[
"announce",
"announce"
]
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "0 3 85 0 12",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to show one's intentions",
"word": "duidelijk maken"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 3 85 0 12",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to show one's intentions",
"word": "te kennen geven"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 3 85 0 12",
"code": "io",
"lang": "Ido",
"sense": "to show one's intentions",
"word": "konocigar"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:",
"text": "Life’s […] a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 7.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:",
"text": "Mrs Varden was a lady of what is commonly called an uncertain temper—a phrase which being interpreted signifies a temper tolerably certain to make everybody more or less uncomfortable.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1961, Walker Percy, “Chapter Four”, in The Moviegoer, New York: Avon, published 1980, page 143:",
"text": "Leaning over, she gives Uncle Oscar a furious affectionate pat which signifies that he is a good fellow and we all love him. It also signifies that he can shut up.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1984, Julian Barnes, “Chapter 11”, in Flaubert’s Parrot, New York: Vintage, published 1990:",
"text": "There are three messages which can be sent by means of the convolvulus. A white one signifies Why are you fleeing me? A pink one signifies I shall bind myself to you. A blue one signifies I shall wait for better days.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To mean; to betoken."
],
"id": "en-signify-en-verb-eiZkWsgK",
"links": [
[
"mean",
"mean"
],
[
"betoken",
"betoken"
]
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "ast",
"lang": "Asturian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "označavam",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "означавам"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "da",
"lang": "Danish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betyde"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "da",
"lang": "Danish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betegne"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betekenen"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "signifier"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "bedeuten"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "got",
"lang": "Gothic",
"roman": "bandwjan",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "jelent"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "merkitä"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "tähentää"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significare"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "nozīmēt"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "oznaczać"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "znaczyć"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "semnifica"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "označátʹ",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "означа́ть"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "znáčitʹ",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "зна́чить"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betyda"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "beteckna"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "označáty",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "означа́ти"
},
{
"_dis1": "2 4 15 71 8",
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "znáčyty",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "зна́чити"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
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"examples": [
{
"ref": "1699, uncredited translator, “Of the Heart”, in The Characters, or, The Manners of the Age, London: John Bullord, translation of original by Jean de La Bruyère, page 84:",
"text": "To be but in the company of those we love, satisfies us: it does not signify whether we speak to ’em or not, whether we think on them or on indifferent things. To be near ’em is all.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1722 (indicated as 1721), [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. […], London: […] W[illiam Rufus] Chetwood, […]; and T. Edling, […], published 1722, →OCLC, pages 339–340:",
"text": "VVell ſays I, and are you thus eaſy? ay, ſays ſhe, I can’t help myſelf, vvhat ſignifyes being ſad? If I am hang’d there’s an End of me, ſays ſhe, and avvay ſhe turns Dancing, and Sings as ſhe goes, […]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1793, John Aikin, Evenings at Home, volume 3, London: J. Johnson, Thirteenth Evening, page 67:",
"text": "I told her it was not I that broke her window, but it did not signify; so she dragged me to the light, lugging and scratching me all the while, and then said she would inform against me […]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:",
"text": "Well, it does not signify complaining, but there are three things for which I am much to be pitied, if any one thought it worth while to waste any compassion upon me.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1865 November (indicated as 1866), Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Alice’s Evidence”, in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 178:",
"text": "Alice looked at the jury-box, and saw that, in her haste, she had put the Lizard in head downwards,[…]. She soon got it out again, and put it right; “not that it signifies much,” she said to herself; “I should think it would be quite as much use in the trial one way up as the other.”",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1938, Graham Greene, Brighton Rock, London: Heinemann, published 1962, Part One, Chapter 3, page 37:",
"text": "“He was Charles. You can read it there. Charles Hale.” / “That don’t signify,” Ida said. “A man always has a different name for strangers. […]”",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To make a difference; to matter (in negative or interrogative expressions)."
],
"id": "en-signify-en-verb-~vDewbeb",
"links": [
[
"difference",
"difference"
],
[
"matter",
"matter"
]
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/"
},
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"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "mean"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "betoken"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "import"
}
],
"word": "signify"
}
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English terms derived from Latin",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old French",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰeh₁-",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Requests for review of Spanish translations",
"Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
"Terms with Asturian translations",
"Terms with Bulgarian translations",
"Terms with Catalan translations",
"Terms with Danish translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Esperanto translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Gothic translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"Terms with Ido translations",
"Terms with Ingrian translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Latin translations",
"Terms with Latvian translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Romanian translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"Terms with Spanish translations",
"Terms with Swedish translations",
"Terms with Ukrainian translations"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "consignify"
},
{
"word": "foresignify"
},
{
"word": "nonsignifying"
},
{
"word": "plurisignify"
},
{
"word": "resignify"
},
{
"word": "signifyin'"
},
{
"word": "signifyin(g)"
},
{
"word": "signifyingly"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*dʰeh₁-"
},
"expansion": "",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "Inherited"
},
"expansion": "Inherited",
"name": "glossary"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "signifien",
"4": "",
"5": "",
"g": "",
"g2": "",
"g3": "",
"id": "",
"lit": "",
"nocat": "",
"pos": "",
"sc": "",
"sort": "",
"tr": "",
"ts": ""
},
"expansion": "Middle English signifien",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "signifien"
},
"expansion": "Inherited from Middle English signifien",
"name": "inh+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fro",
"3": "signifier"
},
"expansion": "Old French signifier",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la",
"3": "significare"
},
"expansion": "Latin significare",
"name": "der"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "signifies",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "signifying",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "signified",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "signified",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "signify (third-person singular simple present signifies, present participle signifying, simple past and past participle signified)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"sig‧ni‧fy"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"To create a sign out of something."
],
"links": [
[
"sign",
"sign"
]
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"To give (something) a meaning or an importance."
],
"links": [
[
"meaning",
"meaning"
],
[
"importance",
"importance"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:",
"text": "I’ll to the king; and signify to him / That thus I have resign’d my charge to you.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 25:27:",
"text": "For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1729, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan, “The Hardships of the Irish being deprived of their Silver, and decoyed into America,”, in The Intelligencer, number 19, pages 207–208:",
"text": "In my humble Opinion, it would be no unseasonable Condescension, if the Government would Graciously please to signify to the pour loyal Protestant Subjects of Ireland, either that this miserable Want of Silver, is not possible to be remedy’d in any Degree […] or else, that it doth not stand with the good Pleasure of England, to suffer any Silver at all among us.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter VIII, in The Woodlanders […], volume III, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 149:",
"text": "Tapping at the window, he signified that she should open the casement, and when she had done this he handed in the key to her.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1952, Neville Shute, “Chapter Two”, in The Far Country, London: Heinemann:",
"text": "“Do you want to write a cheque, Granny?” The old eyes signified assent.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.; to indicate, announce."
],
"links": [
[
"show",
"show"
],
[
"intention",
"intention"
],
[
"sign",
"sign"
],
[
"indicate",
"indicate"
],
[
"announce",
"announce"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:",
"text": "Life’s […] a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 7.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:",
"text": "Mrs Varden was a lady of what is commonly called an uncertain temper—a phrase which being interpreted signifies a temper tolerably certain to make everybody more or less uncomfortable.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1961, Walker Percy, “Chapter Four”, in The Moviegoer, New York: Avon, published 1980, page 143:",
"text": "Leaning over, she gives Uncle Oscar a furious affectionate pat which signifies that he is a good fellow and we all love him. It also signifies that he can shut up.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1984, Julian Barnes, “Chapter 11”, in Flaubert’s Parrot, New York: Vintage, published 1990:",
"text": "There are three messages which can be sent by means of the convolvulus. A white one signifies Why are you fleeing me? A pink one signifies I shall bind myself to you. A blue one signifies I shall wait for better days.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To mean; to betoken."
],
"links": [
[
"mean",
"mean"
],
[
"betoken",
"betoken"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1699, uncredited translator, “Of the Heart”, in The Characters, or, The Manners of the Age, London: John Bullord, translation of original by Jean de La Bruyère, page 84:",
"text": "To be but in the company of those we love, satisfies us: it does not signify whether we speak to ’em or not, whether we think on them or on indifferent things. To be near ’em is all.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1722 (indicated as 1721), [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. […], London: […] W[illiam Rufus] Chetwood, […]; and T. Edling, […], published 1722, →OCLC, pages 339–340:",
"text": "VVell ſays I, and are you thus eaſy? ay, ſays ſhe, I can’t help myſelf, vvhat ſignifyes being ſad? If I am hang’d there’s an End of me, ſays ſhe, and avvay ſhe turns Dancing, and Sings as ſhe goes, […]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1793, John Aikin, Evenings at Home, volume 3, London: J. Johnson, Thirteenth Evening, page 67:",
"text": "I told her it was not I that broke her window, but it did not signify; so she dragged me to the light, lugging and scratching me all the while, and then said she would inform against me […]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:",
"text": "Well, it does not signify complaining, but there are three things for which I am much to be pitied, if any one thought it worth while to waste any compassion upon me.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1865 November (indicated as 1866), Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Alice’s Evidence”, in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 178:",
"text": "Alice looked at the jury-box, and saw that, in her haste, she had put the Lizard in head downwards,[…]. She soon got it out again, and put it right; “not that it signifies much,” she said to herself; “I should think it would be quite as much use in the trial one way up as the other.”",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1938, Graham Greene, Brighton Rock, London: Heinemann, published 1962, Part One, Chapter 3, page 37:",
"text": "“He was Charles. You can read it there. Charles Hale.” / “That don’t signify,” Ida said. “A man always has a different name for strangers. […]”",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To make a difference; to matter (in negative or interrogative expressions)."
],
"links": [
[
"difference",
"difference"
],
[
"matter",
"matter"
]
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-signify.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/1a/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-signify.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-signify.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/1a/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-signify.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-signify.wav.ogg"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "mean"
},
{
"word": "betoken"
},
{
"word": "import"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "znača",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "знача"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "označavam",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "означавам"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "signifi"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "merkitä"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "tarkoittaa"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "signifier"
},
{
"code": "got",
"lang": "Gothic",
"roman": "bandwjan",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽"
},
{
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "sēmaínō",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "σημαίνω"
},
{
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "merkitä"
},
{
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "tähentää"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "to give something a meaning",
"word": "significo"
},
{
"code": "ast",
"lang": "Asturian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "označavam",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "означавам"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"code": "da",
"lang": "Danish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betyde"
},
{
"code": "da",
"lang": "Danish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betegne"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betekenen"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "signifier"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "bedeuten"
},
{
"code": "got",
"lang": "Gothic",
"roman": "bandwjan",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "jelent"
},
{
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "merkitä"
},
{
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "tähentää"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significare"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "nozīmēt"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "oznaczać"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "znaczyć"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "semnifica"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "označátʹ",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "означа́ть"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "znáčitʹ",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "зна́чить"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "significar"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "betyda"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"word": "beteckna"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "označáty",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "означа́ти"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "znáčyty",
"sense": "to mean, to betoken — see also mean, denote, betoken",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "зна́чити"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to show one's intentions",
"word": "duidelijk maken"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to show one's intentions",
"word": "te kennen geven"
},
{
"code": "io",
"lang": "Ido",
"sense": "to show one's intentions",
"word": "konocigar"
}
],
"word": "signify"
}
Download raw JSONL data for signify meaning in English (14.7kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.