sign-off

Or sign·off

[sahyn-awf, -of]

noun

1. the act or fact of signing off.

2. personal approval or authorization; endorsement.

sign off

verb

1. (intr) to announce the end of a radio or television programme, esp at the end of a day

2. (intr) bridge to make a conventional bid indicating to one's partner that one wishes the bidding to stop

3. (tr) to withdraw or retire from (an activity)

4. (tr) (of a doctor) to declare (someone) unfit for work, because of illness

5. (intr) to terminate one's claim to unemployment benefit

Word History and Origins

Origin of sign-off¹

First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase sign off

Idioms and Phrases

Announce the end of a communication, especially a broadcast. For example, There's no one there now; the station has signed off for the night . [c. 1920]

Stop talking, become silent, as in Every time the subject of marriage came up, Harold signed off . [ Colloquial ; mid-1900s]

Express approval formally or conclusively, as in The President got the majority leader to sign off on the tax proposal . This usage is colloquial.

Related Words

• break 
• cease 
• close 
• drop 
• end 
• halt 
• hold 
• kill 
• pause 
• put an end to 
• quit 
• stall 
• stand 
• stay