signify
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to be a sign of something or to mean something.
to be a symbol or sign of; to represent a particular meaning or concept.
Simple“In many cultures, a white flag is used to signify that you want to stop fighting.”
In context“The use of specific floral motifs in the tapestry was intended to signify the union of the two royal houses.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to make your feelings, intentions, or decisions known by a sign or action.
to make known or communicate a feeling, intention, or decision through a gesture, signal, or statement.
Simple“She nodded her head to signify that she agreed with the plan.”
In context“The chairman requested that all those in favour signify their approval by raising their right hand.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
to matter or be important; usually used in questions or negative sentences.
to be of importance or consequence; typically employed in negative or interrogative constructions.
Simple“He said that the small delay did not signify in the long run.”
In context“Whether the document was signed on Tuesday or Wednesday does not signify, provided the terms remain unchanged.”
Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.