assign

[ uh-sahyn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to give or allocate; allot:

   to assign rooms at a hotel.

2. to give out or announce as a task:

   to assign homework.

3. to appoint, as to a post or duty:

   to assign one to guard duty.

4. to designate; name; specify:

   to assign a day for a meeting.

   Synonyms: determine, fix

5. to ascribe; attribute; bring forward:

   to assign a cause.

   Synonyms: offer, show, advance, allege, adduce

6. Law. to transfer:

   to assign a contract.

7. Military. to place permanently on duty with a unit or under a commander.

verb (used without object)

1. Law. to transfer property, especially in trust or for the benefit of creditors.

noun

1. Usually assigns. Law. a person to whom the property or interest of another is or may be transferred; assignee:

   my heirs and assigns.

assign

/ əˈsaɪn /

verb

1. to select for and appoint to a post, etc

   to assign an expert to the job

2. to give out or allot (a task, problem, etc)

   to assign advertising to an expert

3. to set apart (a place, person, time, etc) for a particular function or event

   to assign a day for the meeting

4. to attribute to a specified cause, origin, or source; ascribe

   to assign a stone cross to the Vikings

5. to transfer (one's right, interest, or title to property) to someone else
6. also intr law (formerly) to transfer (property) to trustees so that it may be used for the benefit of creditors
7. See attach
   military to allocate (men or materials) on a permanent basis Compare attach
8. computing to place (a value corresponding to a variable) in a memory location

noun

1. law a person to whom property is assigned; assignee

Derived Forms

• asˈsignable, adjective
• asˈsigner, noun
• asˈsignably, adverb
• asˌsignaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• as·signer Chiefly Law. as·sign·or [uh, -sahy-, nawr, as-, uh, -, nawr], noun
• misas·sign verb
• nonas·signed adjective
• preas·sign verb (used with object)
• preas·signed adjective
• reas·sign verb (used with object)
• self-as·signed adjective
• unas·signed adjective
• well-as·signed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of assign¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English assignen, from Old French assigner, from Latin assignāre; equivalent to as- + sign

Word History and Origins

Origin of assign¹

C14: from Old French assigner, from Latin assignāre, from signāre to mark out

Synonym Study

Assign, allocate, allot mean to apportion or measure out. To assign is to distribute available things, designating them to be given to or reserved for specific persons or purposes: to assign duties. To allocate is to earmark or set aside parts of things available or expected in the future, each for a specific purpose: to allocate income to various types of expenses. To allot implies making restrictions as to amount, size, purpose, etc., and then apportioning or assigning: to allot spaces for parking.

Example Sentences

It is designed to listen to meetings with multiple participants and will parse discussion patterns to produce informative synopses and assign post-meeting action items.

From MIT Technology Review

Such randomized, double-blinded controlled trials randomly assign patients to receive a drug or a placebo, and don’t reveal to participants or doctors who is getting which.

From Science News

That AI could pore over an astronaut’s symptoms and then recommend medical tests, make diagnoses and assign treatments.

From Science News For Students

So I rose beyond cleaning, to working as an operational dispatcher for cabin services in the American Airlines traffic control center, assign cleaning crews to each incoming aircraft.

From Fortune

Ideally, the Mars spaceship would be equipped with artificial intelligence that could consider an astronaut’s symptoms, recommend medical tests, make diagnoses and assign treatments.

From Science News

Now the Kremlin will assign more loyal people to rule the region, mostly military leaders.

From The Daily Beast

When we assign a primitive “not me” status to another individual or social group, it can—and does—take us down a destructive path.

From The Daily Beast

Other folks can debate and assign blame for “who lost Iraq.”

From The Daily Beast

Renee Richardson knows she'll likely never be able to assign blame for her son's death—she's done fighting for that.

From The Daily Beast

Girls are directed through several pages of this until they are asked to assign the guy a series of pre-decided adjectives.

From The Daily Beast

The designs of Russia have long been proverbial; but the exercise of the new art of printing may assign them new features.

From Project Gutenberg

With what honest pride did John Smith, the best farmer of them all, step to the fore and assign to each man his place!

From Project Gutenberg

If the lessee die, his executor or administrator can assign the remainder of his term.

From Project Gutenberg

As the lessee may assign or sublet unless forbidden, so may the lessor part with his interest in the leased premises.

From Project Gutenberg

If offered any dish of which you do not wish to partake, decline it, but do not assign any reason.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accredit
• allow
• appoint
• attach
• authorize
• charge
• commit
• designate
• draft
• elect
• empower
• entrust
• hire
• name
• nominate
• refer
• select