signs
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
An inflected form of sign · plural.
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,904 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 9,417 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.004% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened) also: mark he showed signs of strainthey welcomed the signs of spring
- a public display of a message he posted signs in all the shop windows
- any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message also: signal, signaling signals from the boat suddenly stopped
- structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted also: signboard the highway was lined with signboards
- (astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided also: sign of the zodiac, star sign, mansion, house, planetary house
- (medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease there were no signs of asphyxiation
signs in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Ah, might we read in America’s signs The Age restored of the Antonines.
John Marr and Other Poems · Herman Melville · Chapter 1
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Of late there had been other signs of her disfavour, as intangible but more disquieting.
Ethan Frome · Edith Wharton · Chapter 1
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Besides these, the ring has other secret signs which, as I said, no one can understand.
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1
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The sun was already high, but there were no signs whatever of the ship; they floated, alone, in the mid-ocean.
Under Drake's Flag · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1
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I made signs to them to draw near it with a rope, and then gave it them to hale on shore.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1