Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Assign?

\As*sign"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Assigned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Assigning}.] [OE. assignen, asignen, F. assigner, fr. L. assignare; ad + signare to mark, mark out, designate, signum mark, sign. See {Sign}.] 1. To appoint; to allot; to apportion; to make over. In the order I assign to them. --Loudon. The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better station than that in which his lot had been assigned. --Southey. He assigned to his men their several posts. --Prescott. 2. To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out authoritatively or exactly; as, to assign a limit; to assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial. All as the dwarf the way to her assigned. --Spenser. It is not easy to assign a period more eventful. --De Quincey. 3. (Law) To transfer, or make over to another, esp. to transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called assignees, for the benefit of creditors. {To assign dower}, to set out by metes and bounds the widow's share or portion in an estate. --Kent.
\As*sign"\, n. [From {Assign}, v.] A thing pertaining or belonging to something else; an appurtenance. [Obs.] Six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdles, hangers, and so. --Shak.
\As*sign"\, n. [See {Assignee}.] (Law) A person to whom property or an interest is transferred; as, a deed to a man and his heirs and assigns.
\AS*sign"\, v. i. (Law) To transfer or pass over property to another, whether for the benefit of the assignee or of the assignor's creditors, or in furtherance of some trust.