signify

present singular third person signifies · participle present signifying · participle past signified · past signified

1. To create a sign out of something.
2. To give (something) a meaning or an importance.
3. To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.; to indicate, announce, or portend.

   “Do you want to write a cheque, Granny?” The old eyes signified assent.

   1952, Neville Shute, “Chapter Two”, in The Far Country, London: Heinemann

   4 more examples

   I’ll to the king; and signify to him / That thus I have resign’d my charge to you.

   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]

   For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 25:27

   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.

   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

   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.

   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

4. To mean; to betoken.

   Life’s […] a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.

   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]

   3 more examples

   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.

   1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 7.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC

   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.

   1961, Walker Percy, “Chapter Four”, in The Moviegoer, New York: Avon, published 1980, page 143

   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.

   1984, Julian Barnes, “Chapter 11”, in Flaubert’s Parrot, New York: Vintage, published 1990

5. To make a difference; to matter (in negative or interrogative expressions).

   “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. […]”

   1938, Graham Greene, Brighton Rock, London: Heinemann, published 1962, Part One, Chapter 3, page 37

   5 more examples

   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.

   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

   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, […]

   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

   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 […]

   1793, John Aikin, Evenings at Home, volume 3, London: J. Johnson, Thirteenth Evening, page 67

   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.

   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

   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.”

   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