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 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. &fist; 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.
Hear it pronounced