Category:Signify

Sig"ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Signified; p. pr. & vb. n. Signifying.] Etym: [f. signifier, l. significare; signum a sign + - Ficare (in comp.) to make. See sign, n., 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. Shak. 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. Shak.

Note: 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.