signify

signify
signify mid-13c., from O.Fr. signifier (12c.), from L. significare "to show by signs, mean, signify," from significus (adj.), from signum "sign" (see SIGN (Cf. sign) (n.)) + root of facere "to make" (see FACTITIOUS (Cf. factitious)). Intrans. sense of "to be of importance" is attested from 1660s. Meaning "engage in mock-hostile banter" is Amer.Eng. black slang first recorded 1932.
...'signifying,' which in Harlemese means making a series of oblique remarks apparently addressed to no one in particular, but unmistakable in intention in such a close-knit circle. ["Down Beat," March 7, 1968]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Signify — Álbum de Porcupine Tree Publicación Septiembre de 1996 Grabación 1996 Género(s) Rock progresivo Duración …   Wikipedia Español

  • Signify — Sig ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Signified}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Signifying}.] [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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • signify — [sig′nə fī΄] vt. signified, signifying [ME signifien < OFr signifier < L significare < signum, a SIGN + facere, to make, DO1] 1. to be a sign or indication of; mean [the rags that signify their poverty] 2. to show or make known, as by a… …   English World dictionary

  • signify — [v1] mean, indicate add up to, announce, bear, be a sign of, bespeak, betoken, carry, communicate, connote, convey, denote, disclose, evidence, evince, exhibit, express, flash, imply, import, insinuate, intend, intimate, manifest, matter, portend …   New thesaurus

  • signify — ► VERB (signifies, signfied) 1) be an indication of. 2) be a symbol of; have as meaning. 3) indicate or declare (a feeling or intention). 4) be of importance: the locked door doesn t necessarily signify. DERIVATIVES significatio …   English terms dictionary

  • signify — I (denote) verb betoken, connotate, connote, delineate, demonstrate, depict, evidence, evince, exemplify, hint, illustrate, imply, indicate, insinuates, intimate, manifest, mark, mean, point out, portray, purport, represent, reveal, show, stand… …   Law dictionary

  • signify — *import, *mean, denote Analogous words: convey, *carry, bear: *denote, connote: imply, *suggest …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Signify — Infobox Album | Name = Signify Type = Album Artist = Porcupine Tree Caption = Cover art by John Blackford Released = September, 1996 Recorded = 1996 Genre = Progressive rock Length = 61:56 Label = Delerium Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4|5… …   Wikipedia

  • signify — sig|ni|fy [ˈsıgnıfaı] v past tense and past participle signified present participle signifying third person singular signifies [not in progressive] [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: signifier, from Latin significare, from signum; SIGN1] 1.) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • signify — verb (not in progressive) 1 (T) to represent, mean, or be a sign of something: Some tribes use special facial markings to signify status. | signify that: Recent changes in climate may signify that global warming is starting to have an effect. 2… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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