Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Resign
Re-sign′
(r?-z?n′)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Resigned
(-z?nd′)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Resigning
.] [F.
résigner
, L. resignare
to unseal, annul, assign, resign; pref. re-
re- + signare
to seal, stamp. See Sign
, and cf
. Resignation
.] 1.
To sign back; to return by a formal act; to yield to another; to surrender; – said especially of office or emolument. Hence, to give up; to yield; to submit; – said of the wishes or will, or of something valued; – also often used reflexively.
I here
resign
my government to thee. Shakespeare
Lament not, Eve, but patiently
What justly thou hast lost.
resign
What justly thou hast lost.
Milton.
What more reasonable, than that we should in all things
resign
up ourselves to the will of God? Tiilotson.
2.
To relinquish; to abandon.
He soon
resigned
his former suit. Spenser.
3.
To commit to the care of; to consign.
[Obs.]
Gentlement of quality have been sent beyong the seas,
resigned
and concredited to the conduct of such as they call governors. Evelyn.
Syn. – To abdicate; surrender; submit; leave; relinquish; forego; quit; forsake; abandon; renounce.
–
Resign
, Relinquish
. To resign is to give up, as if breaking a seal and yielding all it had secured; hence, it marks a formal and deliberate surrender. To relinquish is less formal, but always implies abandonment and that the thing given up has been long an object of pursuit, and, usually, that it has been prized and desired. We resign what we once held or considered as our own, as an office, employment, etc. We speak of relinquishing a claim, of relinquishing some advantage we had sought or enjoyed, of relinquishing seme right, privilege, etc. “Men are weary with the toil which they bear, but can not find it in their hearts to relinquish it.” Steele.
See Abdicate
. Webster 1828 Edition
Resign
RESIGN
,Verb.
T.
1.
To give up; to give back, as an office or commission, to the person or authority that conferred it; hence, to surrender an office or charge in a formal manner; as, a military officer resigns his commission; a prince resigns his crown.Phoebus resigns his darts, and Jove his thunder, to the god of love.
2.
To withdraw, as a claim. He resigns all pretensions to skill.3.
To yield; as, to resign the judgment to the direction of others.4.
To yield or give up in confidence.What more reasonable, than that we should in all things resign ourselves to the will of God?
5.
To submit, particularly to Providence.A firm, yet cautious mind; sincere, though prudent; constant, yet resign'd.
6.
To submit without resistance or murmur.