definition to be assigned

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Definition of assign verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• assign something (to somebody) The teacher assigned a different task to each of the children.
• The two large classrooms have been assigned to us.
• assign somebody something We have been assigned the two large classrooms.
• The teacher assigned each of the children a different task.

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• assign somebody (to something/as something) They've assigned their best man to the job.
• Two senior officers have been assigned to the case.
• assign somebody to do something British forces have been assigned to help with peacekeeping.
• be assigned to somebody/something I was assigned to B platoon.
• He was assigned to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1975.
• assign something to something Assign a different colour to each different type of information.
• assign something sth The painting cannot be assigned an exact date.
• The agreement assigns copyright to the publisher.
• She has assigned the lease to her daughter.

Nearby words

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• assigned arrival time
• Assigned Beacon Code
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• assigned dealer
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• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Synonyms
• 1.3.2 Derived terms
• 1.3.3 Derived terms
• 1.3.4 Derived terms
• 1.3.5 Derived terms
• 1.3.6 Derived terms
• 1.3.7 Derived terms
• 1.3.8 Derived terms
• 1.3.9 Derived terms
• 1.3.10 Derived terms
• 1.3.11 Derived terms
• 1.3.12 Derived terms
• 1.3.13 Translations

English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ].

From Middle English assignen , from Old French assigner , asigner , from Latin assignō , from ad- + signō ( “ mark, sign ” ) .

Pronunciation [ edit ]

• IPA ( key ) : /əˈsaɪn/
• Hyphenation: as‧sign
• Rhymes: -aɪn

Verb [ edit ]

assign ( third-person singular simple present assigns , present participle assigning , simple past and past participle assigned )

• ( transitive ) To designate or set apart (something) for some purpose . to assign a day for trial
• ( transitive ) To appoint or select (someone) for some office . to assign counsel for a prisoner
• 1829 , Robert Southey , Sir Thomas More: Or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society , volume I, London: John Murray, page 210 : “I cannot do it, Sir !” was his reply. “I fire into their ranks, and that does as well ; but to single out one among them, and mark him for death, would lie upon my mind afterwards.” The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better station than that in which his lot had been assigned.
• 1857 , William Hickling Prescott , “War with France”, in History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain , new edition, volume I, London: G. Routledge & Co., page 116 : He assigned his men to their several posts, talked boldly of maintaining himself against all the troops of Spain, and by his cheerful tone endeavoured to inspire a confidence in others which he was far from feeling himself.
• 1910 , Emerson Hough , chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise , Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company , →OCLC : Captain Edward Carlisle [ … ] felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze,   [ … ] ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.
• ( LGBT ) To categorize (someone) as belonging to the male or female sex .
• ( transitive , law ) To transfer ( property , a legal right, etc.) from one person to another.
• ( transitive , programming ) To give (a value) to a variable . We assign 100 to x.

Synonyms [ edit ]

• ( set apart something for some purpose ) : allocate , earmark ; see also Thesaurus:set apart
• ( transfer property ) : consign , convey ; see also Thesaurus:transfer

Derived terms [ edit ]

• assignability
• nonassigned
• preassigned
• bioassimilability

assimilable

• bioassimilable
• inassimilable
• nonassimilable
• phytoassimilable
• assimilatable
• unassimilatable

assimilated

• bioassimilated
• nonassimilated
• unassimilated

assimilative

assimilatory

• deassimilate
• disassimilate
• photoassimilate
• reassimilate

assimilating

• nonassimilating
• unassimilating

assimilationist

• antiassimilationist
• assimilativeness
• disassimilative
• unassimilative
• photoassimilatory
• reassimilatory

|assignment}}

• assignation

Noun [ edit ]

assign ( plural assigns )

• 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens , “Stave I. Marley’s Ghost.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas , London: Chapman & Hall ,   [ … ] , →OCLC , page 2 : Scrooge knew he was dead ? Of course he did. How could it be otherwise ? Scrooge and he were partners for I don’t know how many years. Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend and his sole mourner.
• c. 1599–1602 (date written) , William Shakespeare , The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke:   [ … ] (Second Quarto), London: [ … ] I [ ames ] R [ oberts ] for N [ icholas ] L [ ing ]   [ … ] , published 1604 , →OCLC , [Act V, scene ii]: The King ſir hath wagerd with him ſix Barbary horſes, againgſt the which hee has impaund as I take it ſix French Rapiers and Poynards, with their aſſignes, as girdle, hanger and ſo.
• ( obsolete ) An assignment or appointment .
• 1609 , John Ford , “Fame's Memorial: An Elegy upon the Earl of Devonshire”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name) , page 9 : He aim’d at high designs, and so attain’d / The high assigns to which his spirit aim’d.

• English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
• English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sek-
• English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ- (follow)
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Synonyms of assigned

• as in entrusted
• as in allotted
• as in ceded
• as in appointed
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Thesaurus Definition of assigned

Synonyms & Similar Words

• commissioned
• recommended
• distributed
• apportioned
• administered
• shared (out)
• contributed
• meted (out)
• reallocated
• parceled (out)
• redistributed
• parcelled (out)
• reapportioned

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deprived (of)
• appropriated
• confiscated
• transferred
• relinquished
• disposed of
• passed (down)
• transmitted
• handed down
• surrendered
• turned over
• handed over
• expropriated
• constituted
• inaugurated
• consecrated
• singled (out)
• blackballed

Thesaurus Entries Near assigned

assignations

Cite this Entry

“Assigned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assigned. Accessed 21 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on assigned

Nglish: Translation of assigned for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assigned for Arabic Speakers

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Definition of 'assignment'

assignment in American English

Assignment in british english, examples of 'assignment' in a sentence assignment, related word partners assignment, trends of assignment.

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• assigned randomly
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Meaning of assigning in English

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assign verb [T] ( CHOOSE )

• Every available officer will be assigned to the investigation .
• The textbooks were assigned by the course director .
• Part of the group were assigned to clear land mines .
• Each trainee is assigned a mentor who will help them learn more about the job .
• We were assigned an interpreter for the duration of our stay .
• accommodate
• accommodate someone with something
• administration
• arm someone with something
• hand something down
• hand something in
• hand something out
• hand something over
• reassignment

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

assign verb [T] ( SEND )

• She was assigned to the Paris office .
• All the team were assigned to Poland.
• advertisement
• employment agency
• equality, diversity and inclusion
• reinstatement
• relocation expenses
• testimonial

assign verb [T] ( COMPUTING )

• 3-D printing
• adaptive learning
• additive manufacturing
• hexadecimal
• hill climbing
• telerobotics
• word processing

assign verb [T] ( GIVE LEGALLY )

Phrasal verb, examples of assigning.

In English, many past and present participles of verbs can be used as adjectives. Some of these examples may show the adjective use.

Word of the Day

to fasten the belt that keeps you in your seat in a car or a plane

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

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• assign (CHOOSE)
• assign (SEND)
• assign (COMPUTING)
• assign (GIVE LEGALLY)
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adjective as in definite

Strongest matches

Weak matches

• beyond doubt
• circumscribed
• determinate
• established

adjective as in destined

• appropriated

Strong matches

adjective as in distributed

• apportioned
• spread evenly

adjective as in mandated

• requisitioned

adjective as in named

Strongest match

• commissioned
• consecrated
• decided upon

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Example sentences.

Bratton now announced that he was appointing Ramos an honorary chaplain at the 84th Precinct where he was assigned.

Black and purple bunting went up over the doorway at the 84th Precinct stationhouse where Ramos and Liu had been assigned.

Two police assigned to the apartment on a detail were doing a “vertical patrol” up the stairs when the door opened.

To make matters worse, Jackson placed great value on regurgitating every last detail of the assigned texts.

It had been a headline case, and a task force of over a hundred detectives had been assigned to investigate.

The actor, whose name was Taylor, could not remember the name assigned to him in his part of the play.

Leave the girl to grow up in the station to which God has assigned her, no matter by whose human hands the deed was done.

An insurance policy may be assigned, though it usually contains a clause that the consent of the insurer is needful.

It is ninety-seven miles due East from the situation assigned to Dampier's Rocks.

The funds assigned some years before for the support of the civil list had fallen short of the estimate.

Related Words

Words related to assigned are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word assigned . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

adjective as in fixed, certain, positive

adjective as in en route, on the road to

adjective as in delivered

adjective as in administered

adjective as in chosen

On this page you'll find 113 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to assigned, such as: defined, precise, assured, beyond doubt, circumscribed, and convinced.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.