Lewis & Short

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signo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [signum], to set a mark upon, to mark, mark out, designate (syn.: noto, designo).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): discrimen non facit neque signat linea alba, Lucil. ap. Non. 405, 17: signata sanguine pluma est, Ov. M. 6, 670: ne signare quidem aut partiri limite campum Fas erat, Verg. G. 1, 126: humum limite mensor, Ov. M. 1, 136; id. Am. 3, 8, 42: moenia aratro, id. F. 4, 819: pede certo humum, to print, press, Hor. A. P. 159; cf.: vestigia summo pulvere, to mark, imprint, Verg. G. 3, 171: auratā cyclade humum, Prop. 4 (5), 7, 40: haec nostro signabitur area curru, Ov. A. A. 1, 39: locum, ubi ea (cistella) excidit, Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 28: caeli regionem in cortice signant, mark, cut, Verg. G. 2, 269: nomina saxo, Ov. M. 8, 539: rem stilo, Vell. 1, 16, 1: rem carmine, Verg. A. 3, 287; for which: carmine saxum, Ov. M. 2, 326: cubitum longis litteris, Plaut. Rud. 5, 2, 7: ceram figuris, to imprint, Ov. M. 15, 169: cruor signaverat herbam, had stained, id. ib. 10, 210; cf. id. ib. 12, 125: signatum sanguine pectus, id. A. A. 2, 384: dubiā lanugine malas, id. M. 13, 754: signata in stirpe cicatrix, Verg. G. 2, 379: manibus Procne pectus signata cruentis, id. ib. 4, 15: vocis infinitios sonos paucis notis, Cic. Rep. 3, 2, 3: visum objectum imprimet et quasi signabit in animo suam speciem, id. Fat. 19, 43.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To mark with a seal; to seal, seal up, affix a seal to a thing (usually obsignare): accepi a te signatum libellum, Cic. Att. 11, 1, 1: volumina, Hor. Ep. 1, 13, 2: locellum tibi signatum remisi, Caes. ap. Charis. p. 60 P.: epistula, Nep. Pel. 3, 2: arcanas tabellas, Ov. Am. 2, 15, 15: signatis quicquam mandare tabellis, Tib. 4, 7, 7: lagenam (anulus), Mart. 9, 88, 7: testamentum, Plin. Ep. 2, 20, 8 sq.; cf. Mart. 5, 39, 2: nec nisi signata venumdabatur (terra), Plin. 35, 4, 14, § 33.
        Absol., Mart. 10, 70, 7; Quint. 5, 7, 32; Suet. Ner. 17.
      2. 2. To mark with a stamp; hence,
        1. a. Of money, to stamp, to coin: aes argentum aurumve publice signanto, Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 6; cf.: qui primus ex auro denarium signavit … Servius rex primus signavit aes … Signatum est nota pecudum, unde et pecunia appellata … Argentum signatum est anno, etc., Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 44: argentum signatum, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 25, § 63; Quint. 5, 10, 62; 5, 14, 26: pecunia signata Illyriorum signo, Liv. 44, 27, 9: denarius signatus Victoriā, Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 46: sed cur navalis in aere Altera signata est, Ov. F. 1, 230: milia talentūm argenti non signati formā, sed rudi pondere, Curt. 5, 2, 11.
          Hence,
        2. b. Poet.: signatum memori pectore nomen habe, imprinted, impressed, Ov. H. 13, 66: (filia) quae patriā signatur imagine vultus, i. e. closely resembles her father, Mart. 6, 27, 3.
        3. c. To stamp, i. e. to license, invest with official authority (late Lat.): quidam per ampla spatia urbis … equos velut publicos signatis, quod dicitur, calceis agitant, Amm. 14, 6, 16.
      3. 3. Pregn., to distinguish, adorn, decorate (poet.): pater ipse suo superūm jam signat honore, Verg. A. 6, 781 Heyne: caelum corona, Claud. Nupt. Hon. et Mar. 273.
  2. II. Trop., to point out, signify, indicate, designate, express (rare; more usually significo, designo; in Cic. only Or. 19, 64, where dignata is given by Non. 281, 10; v. Meyer ad loc.): translatio plerumque signandis rebus ac sub oculos subiciendis reperta est, Quint. 8, 6, 19: quotiens suis verbis signare nostra voluerunt (Graeci), id. 2, 14, 1; cf.: appellatione signare, id. 4, 1, 2: utrius differentiam, id. 6, 2, 20; cf. id. 9, 1, 4; 12, 10, 16: nomen (Caieta) ossa signat, Verg. A. 7, 4: fama signata loco est, Ov. M. 14, 433: miratrixque sui signavit nomine terras, designated, Luc. 4, 655; cf.: (Earinus) Nomine qui signat tempora verna suo, Mart. 9, 17, 4: Turnus ut videt … So signari oculis, singled out, looked to, Verg. A. 12, 3: signare responsum, to give a definite or distinct answer, Sen. Ben. 7, 16, 1.
    With rel.-clause: memoria signat in quā regione quali adjutore legatoque fratre meo usus sit, Vell. 2, 115.
    1. B. To distinguish, recognize: primi clipeos mentitaque tela Adgnoscunt, atque ora sono discordia signant, Verg. A. 2, 423; cf.: sonis homines dignoscere, Quint. 11, 3, 31: animo signa quodcumque in corpore mendum est, Ov. R. Am. 417.
    2. C. To seal, settle, establish, confirm, prescribe (mostly poet.): signanda sunt jura, Prop. 3 (4), 20, 15: signata jura, Luc. 3, 302: jura Suevis, Claud. ap. Eutr. 1, 380; cf.: precati deos ut velint ea (vota) semper solvi semperque signari, Plin. Ep. 10, 35 (44).
    3. D. To close, end: qui prima novo signat quinquennia lustro, Mart. 4, 45, 3.
      Hence,
    1. A. signan-ter, adv. (acc. to II. A.), expressly, clearly, distinctly (late Lat. for the class. significanter): signanter et breviter omnia indicare, Aus. Grat. Act. 4: signanter et proprie dixerat, Hier. adv. Jovin. 1, 13 fin.
    2. B. signātus, a, um, P. a.
      1. 1. (Acc. to I. B. 1. sealed; hence) Shut up, guarded, preserved (mostly ante- and post-class.): signata sacra, Varr. ap. Non. 397, 32: limina. Prop. 4 (5), 1, 145: Chrysidem negat signatam reddere, i. e. unharmed, intact, pure, Lucil. ap. Non. 171, 6; cf.: assume de viduis fide pulchram, aetate signatam, Tert. Exhort. 12.
      2. 2. (Acc. to II. A.) Plain, clear, manifest (post-class. for significans): quid expressius atque signatius in hanc causam? Tert. Res. Carn. 13.
        Adv.: signātē, clearly, distinctly (post-class.): qui (veteres) proprie atque signate locuti sunt, Gell. 2, 6, 6; Macr. S. 6, 7.
        Comp.: signatius explicare aliquid, Amm. 23, 6, 1.