resign

verb

Sayri-ZYN/ɹɪˈzaɪn/

5 meanings of resign

1
verbtransitive or intransitive
To leave a job or position on purpose, especially an important or high-ranking one.
Like handing back the keys to a job you no longer want.
He resigned his post as captain after the loss.
She decided to resign rather than face the vote.
Similarquit, leave, vacate
Note
2
verbtransitive
To accept something unwanted because you feel you cannot change it.
Like accepting that rain will spoil the picnic and choosing not to fight it.
I resign myself to working weekends until the project ends.
She resigned herself to the long wait at the clinic.
Similarreconcile, submit, accept
Oppositeresist
Note
3
verbtransitive
To give up something you own and let go of it for good.
Like signing away something you own so it stops being yours.
They resign their rights when they sign the form.
He resigned all claim to the family land.
Similarrelinquish, surrender, renounce, cede, forfeit
Oppositeretain, keep
Note
4
verbtransitive
To place something or someone into another person's care or control.
Like passing a baby to someone else to hold and look after.
Commanders resign authority to their successors during a handover.
She resigned the children to their grandmother's care.
Similartransfer, entrust, surrender, cede, yield
Oppositeassume
5
Sayree-SYNUS/ɹiˈsaɪn/UK/ɹiːˈsaɪn/
verbnonstandard
Alternative spelling of re-sign. It means to sign again, but many call this spelling a mistake.
The team hopes to resign their star player next season.
They asked me to resign the contract after the error was fixed.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–4

From Latin resignāre, meaning to unseal or cancel, made from re- plus signāre 'to seal.' It came into English through French.

Meaning 5

From re- plus sign.