Sign Me Up! Phrasal Verbs and Idioms With "Sign" 🖊️
Native English speakers use the simple word “sign” in many different ways. In phrasal verbs, it often creates an image of writing one’s name on an important document. However, there are some big exceptions.
Get your pens ready and let’s take a closer look!
“Sign” as a Noun
"Sign" as a noun is something that indicates that something is present or true, like in the example below.
The falling leaves are a sign that winter is coming.
It can also be a notice or action that communicates certain information.Â
The sign says we need a ticket to enter.
Give me a sign so I know when it's time to leave.
The expressions we'll introduce below, however, are based on its verb usage, meaning "to make a document, law, agreement, etc. official by putting one's signature on it."
Phrasal Verbs With “Sign”
Sign up
“Signing up” for something means agreeing to do or join it. You’ve probably seen this phrasal verb on advertisements and on websites, perhaps next to the “log in” button.
If you would like to join our class, you can sign up at the customer service counter.
If you sign up today, you’ll get 15% off your first order.
Sign off
“Sign off” has two meanings. The first is "to end a broadcast" — you might hear a television, radio or podcast host say it at the end of their program.
Before we sign off, we’d like to thank all of you for listening.
If you join the two words with a hyphen, you’ll form the noun version, “sign-off.”Â
The radio DJ always ends his shows with his unique sign-off, “See you later, alligators!”
The second meaning is “to approve” or “to authorize.” It comes before the preposition “on.”
I need the director to sign off on this project before we can start working.
Sign over
When you “sign over” something, you are giving your ownership of it to another person.
We're thinking about signing over our percentage of the company to the new owners.
There is also “sign away,” which has a similar meaning but a more negative nuance.
Think carefully before you sign away your control to those businessmen.
Sign for
Sometimes someone must write their signature on a special document in order to receive a delivery. We call this “signing for” the delivery.
I can’t give you this package unless someone signs for it.
Sign in / Sign out
You usually only need to sign up for something once, but you might need to “sign in” each time you enter a place.
Please sign in with your username and password.
All guests need to sign in and include the time of their visit.
The opposite is “sign out.”
The visitor list says he signed out at 4:03 p.m.
I forgot to sign out before I closed the program.
Other “Sign” Idioms
Sign of the times
Merriam-Webster says a "sign of the times" is "something that shows the kinds of things that are happening, popular, important, etc. in a culture at a particular period in history." It's usually used in a negative sense.
Social media addiction is definitely a sign of the times.
Sign me up! / Where do I sign up?
This casual expression is used to show a strong interest in joining or participating in something.
A
I'm hosting an event this weekend. There'll be free food and lots of interesting people. Wanna come?
B
Yeah, sign me up!
Wrap-up
As you can see, phrasal verbs with "sign" often involve writing, but sometimes they're used in surprising ways. Add these terms and expressions to your daily English conversations and your fluency will get a big boost.
Before we sign off, be sure to read the rest of our articles on phrasal verbs, which you can find here!
