First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
resign
verb re·sign \ri-ˈzīn\
: to give up (a job or position) in a formal or official way
Full Definition of RESIGN
transitive verb
1
: relegate, consign; especially : to give (oneself) over without resistance <resigned herself to her fate>
2
: to give up deliberately; especially : to renounce (as a right or position) by a formal act
intransitive verb
1
: to give up one's office or position : quit
2
: to accept something as inevitable : submit
— re·sign·ed·ly \-ˈzī-nəd-lē\ adverb
— re·sign·ed·ness \-ˈzī-nəd-nəs\ noun
— re·sign·er \-ˈzī-nər\ noun
See resign defined for English-language learners
See resign defined for kids
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Origin of RESIGN
Middle English, from Anglo-French resigner, from Latin resignare, literally, to unseal, cancel, from re- + signare to sign, seal — more at sign
Related to RESIGN
- Synonyms
- abnegate, cede, relinquish, renounce, abdicate, step aside (from), step down (from), surrender
Synonym Discussion of RESIGN
relinquish, yield, resign, surrender, abandon, waive mean to give up completely. relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness <relinquished her crown>. yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force <the troops yielded ground grudgingly>. resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle <resigned her position>. surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist <surrendered their claims>. abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up <abandoned all hope>. waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion <waived the right to a trial by jury>.
abdicate, renounce, resign mean to give up a position with no possibility of resuming it. abdicate implies a giving up of sovereign power or sometimes an evading of responsibility such as that of a parent <abdicated the throne>. renounce may replace it but often implies additionally a sacrifice for a greater end <renounced her inheritance by marrying a commoner>. resign applies to the giving up of an unexpired office or trust <resigned from the board>.
abdicate, renounce, resign mean to give up a position with no possibility of resuming it. abdicate implies a giving up of sovereign power or sometimes an evading of responsibility such as that of a parent <abdicated the throne>. renounce may replace it but often implies additionally a sacrifice for a greater end <renounced her inheritance by marrying a commoner>. resign applies to the giving up of an unexpired office or trust <resigned from the board>.
Rhymes with RESIGN
A-line, affine, airline, align, alkyne, alpine, assign, at sign, balkline, baseline, beeline, benign, bloodline, blue line, blush wine, bovine, bowline, branchline, breadline, bright-line, buntline, bustline, byline, call sign, canine, caprine, carbine, carmine, cervine, chow line, clothesline, cloud nine, coastline, combine, compline, condign, confine, consign, corvine, cosign, cutline, dateline, deadline, decline, define, design, divine, dragline, driveline, earthshine, Einstein, eiswein, end line, enshrine, entwine, equine, ethyne, fall line, fault line, feline, ferine, first-line, flatline, flight line, foul line, fräulein, frontline, front line, goal line, gold mine, grapevine, guideline, hairline, hard-line, hard pine, headline, hemline, high sign, hipline, Holbein, hotline, ice wine, incline, indign, in fine, in-line, Irvine, jawline, jug wine, landline, land mine, lang syne, lifeline, load line, longline, lupine, mainline, main line, malign, midline, moline, moonshine, neckline, off-line, old-line, online, opine, outline, outshine, ovine, Pauline, peace sign, Petrine, pipeline, piscine, pitch pine, plotline, plumb line, plus sign, pontine, porcine, potline, pound sign, propine, punch line, rapine, recline, redline, red pine, refine, reline, repine, Rhine wine, ridgeline, roofline, Sabine, saline, Scotch pine, scrub pine, setline, shoreline, short line, sideline, sight line, skyline, snow line, soft-line, spring line, straight-line, strandline, straw wine, streamline, strip mine, strychnine, subline, sunshine, supine, syncline, taurine, tie-line, times sign, topline, touchline, towline, tramline, trapline, tree line, trephine, trotline, truckline, trunk line, tumpline, turbine, untwine, ursine, vespine, V sign, vulpine, waistline, white line, white pine, white wine, woodbine, yard line, zebrine, Z line
RESIGNED Defined for Kids
resign
verb re·sign \ri-ˈzīn\
re·signedre·sign·ing
Definition of RESIGN for Kids
1
: to give up (a job or position) by a formal or official act
2
: to prepare to accept something unpleasant <Unable to sleep, I resigned myself to await his return … — Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder>
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