{
    "term": "sign",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an event, an action, a fact, etc. that shows that something exists, is happening or may happen in the future",
            "sensetop": "sign of somebody/somethingat a sign of somethingsign of doing somethingsign of somebody/something doing somethingsign (that)…",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Looking back, I should have **seen the signs**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **clear/visible sign**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an **encouraging sign**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a positive sign"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The fact that he didn't say ‘no’ immediately is a **good sign**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "If I had noticed the **warning signs**, none of this would have happened."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Early signs** point to business improving."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This move will be seen as a **sign of weakness**.",
                    "contextForm": "sign of somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Bankers say they can definitely detect **signs of a recovery**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Headaches may be a sign of stress."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is no sign of John anywhere."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Soldiers swarmed the city **looking for** any **sign** of her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was no **sign of life** in the house *(= there seemed to be nobody there)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her work is **showing some signs of** improvement."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I hope this incident isn't a sign of things to come."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Get this test if you have **signs and symptoms** of diabetes."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He is reading the signs all wrong."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Call the police at the first **sign of trouble**.",
                    "contextForm": "at a sign of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The gloomy weather **shows no sign of** improving.",
                    "contextForm": "sign of doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is **little sign** of this happening in the immediate future.",
                    "contextForm": "sign of somebody/something doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "If an interview is too easy, it's **a sure sign that** you haven't got the job.",
                    "contextForm": "sign (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "There were no outward signs that anything was wrong."
                },
                {
                    "text": "All the outward signs of growth in the market are there."
                },
                {
                    "text": "All the signs pointed to it being more than just a coincidence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Are appliances you buy safe? We point out the danger signs."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He spoke up without the slightest sign of nervousness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His face betrayed no sign of emotion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "By now the fish was showing signs of distress."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I detected the subtle signs of disapproval."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He displayed the classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Look carefully for signs of damp."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The first signs of spring appeared."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Strong dislikes of foods are early signs of pregnancy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the telltale signs of drug abuse"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The lack of interest in the media is a telling sign of the industry's health."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The murder had all the signs of a crime of passion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We detected signs that they were less than enthusiastic about the holiday."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["classic", "clear", "definite"],
                "verb + sign": ["bear", "have", "betray"],
                "sign + verb": ["appear", "come", "indicate something"],
                "preposition": ["at a/​the sign", "sign from", "sign of"],
                "phrases": [
                    "sign of life",
                    "a sign of the times",
                    "a sign of things to come"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a piece of paper, wood or metal that has writing or a picture on it that gives you information, instructions, a warning, etc.",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **put up/post a sign**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "to **carry/hold a sign**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **street/stop sign**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a shop/pub sign"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a traffic sign"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The sign read ‘No Fishing’."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The sign on the wall said ‘Now wash your hands’."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was a 'Closed' sign in the window."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Follow the signs** for the city centre."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Some of the marchers were holding up signs and placards."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He might as well have been wearing a sign saying ‘I am a tourist’."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Follow the road and you'll see signs for the turn-off."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He yelled at us for ignoring the stop sign."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Someone had put up a ‘For Sale’ sign."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The sign pointed down a narrow road."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This sign indicates that cycling is allowed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "signs warning against trespass"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["flashing", "illuminated", "neon"],
                "verb + sign": ["erect", "hang", "hang out"],
                "sign + verb": [
                    "read something",
                    "announce something",
                    "proclaim something"
                ],
                "preposition": ["sign for", "sign to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a movement or sound that you make to tell somebody something",
            "sensetop": "sign from somebodyas a sign of somethingsign to do somethingsign for somebody to do something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He **gave a** thumbs-up **sign** *(= to show approval/agreement)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was waiting for some kind of sign from him.",
                    "contextForm": "sign from somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "At a sign from her, the band would start to play."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He gave a slight bow as a sign of respect.",
                    "contextForm": "as a sign of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She shook her head in a desperate sign to tell the child to remain silent.",
                    "contextForm": "sign to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She nodded as a sign for us to sit down.",
                    "contextForm": "sign for somebody to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Three blasts on the whistle was the sign for visitors to leave."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to make **the sign of the cross** *(= an act of moving one hand in the shape of a cross, done by Christians to show respect for God or by a priest to  somebody/something)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She made a peace sign while having her picture taken."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The people regarded the earthquake as a sign from God."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They had to communicate through signs and grunts."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the sign for ‘woman’ in sign language"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["rude", "peace", "thumbs-up"],
                "verb + sign": ["give (somebody)", "make", "communicate through"],
                "sign + noun": ["language", "system"],
                "preposition": ["sign for"],
                "phrases": ["make the sign of the cross"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a mark used to represent something, especially in mathematics",
            "sensetop": "sign for something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a plus/minus sign *(= +/−)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a dollar/pound sign *(= $/£)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the sign for ‘square root’",
                    "contextForm": "sign for something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I used the Chinese sign for ‘father’ instead of ‘uncle’."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The wizard drew some strange signs in the air with his wand."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What does this sign mean?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a T-shirt with a peace sign on it"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Maths and measurement"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["dollar", "euro", "pound"],
                "verb + sign": ["draw", "use"],
                "sign + verb": ["mean something"],
                "preposition": ["sign for"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "a star sign (= one of the twelve signs of the zodiac)",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "What sign are you?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Mars rules the zodiac sign of Aries."
                },
                {
                    "text": "people born under the sign of Gemini"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the twelve astrological signs"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["birth", "star", "astrological"],
                "verb + sign": ["be born under"],
                "preposition": ["sign of"],
                "phrases": ["the signs of the Zodiac"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "something that you feel shows what things are like now, especially how bad they are",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The increasing number of people owning guns is an alarming sign of the times."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/saɪn/",
                "audio": "si/sign/sign__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/saɪn/",
                "audio": "si/sign/sign__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French signe (noun), signer (verb), from Latin signum ‘mark, token’."
}