signature

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. One's name as written by oneself.
2. n. The act of signing one's name.
3. n. A distinctive mark, characteristic, or sound indicating identity: A surprise ending is the signature of an O. Henry short story.
4. n. Medicine The part of a physician's prescription containing directions to the patient.
5. n. Music A sign used to indicate key.
6. n. Music A sign used to indicate tempo.
7. n. Printing A letter, number, or symbol placed at the bottom of the first page on each sheet of printed pages of a book as a guide to the proper sequence of the sheets in binding.
8. n. Printing A large sheet printed with four or a multiple of four pages that when folded becomes a section of the book.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A distinguishing sign, mark, or manifestation; an indicative appearance or characteristic, either physical or mental; a condition or quality significant of something: as, the signatures of a person's temperament seen in his face.
2. n. Specifically An external natural marking upon, or a symbolical appearance or characteristic of, a plant, mineral, or other object or substance, formerly supposed by the Paracelsians (and still by some ignorant persons) to indicate its special medicinal quality or appropriate use. The medical theory based upon this conception, known as the doctrine of signatures, took note of color (as yellow flowers for jaundice and the bloodstone for hemorrhage), shape (as that of the roots of mandrake and ginseng) various peculiarities of marking, etc. Many existing names of plants, minerals, etc., originated from this theory. See kidneywort, mandrake, scorpion-grass. Also called sign, seal, and sigil.
3. n. The name of a person, or something used as representing his name, affixed or appended to a writing or the like, either by himself or by deputy, as a verification, authentication, or assent (as to a petition or a pledge). The initials, the first or familiar name by which one is known, or the mark or sign of the cross, and the like, if affixed by the person for that purpose, is a legal signature. A British peer uses his title as signature: thus, the Marquis of Salisbury signs himself simply “Salisbury.” Prelates of the Church of England adopt siguatnres from the Latinized designations of their sees: thus, the Archbishop of Canterbury (E. W. Benson) signs himself “E. W. Cantuar.”; theBishop of Oxford (W. Stubbs), “W. Oxon.” See sign, v. t., 2, 3.
4. n. In Scots law, a writing formerly prepared and presented by a writer to the signet to the baron of exchequer, as the ground of a royal grant to the person in whose name it was presented. This, having in the case of an original charter the sign manual of the sovereign, and in other cases the cachet appointed by the act of union for Scotland, attached to it, became the warrant of a conveyance under one or other of the seals, according to the nature of the subject or the object in view. Imp. Dict.
5. n. A letter or figure placed by the printer at the foot of the first page of every section or gathering of a book. The letters begin with A, the figures with l, and follow in regular order on succeeding sections. They are intended to aid the binder in folding, collating, and arranging the sections consecutively. In early printed books the signature-mark was often repeated on the 3d, 5th, and 7th pages of a section of 16 pages as an additional safeguard for the folder: as, A on 1st page, A i on 3d, A ii on 5th, and A iv on 7th page. This practice has been discontinued except for offcuts of 12mos, which have the signature repeated.
6. n. Hence A sheet; especially, in bookbinders' use, a sheet after it has been folded and is ready to be gathered.
7. n. In musical notation, the signs placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the key (tonality) and the rhythm of a piece. The term properly includes the clef (which see), since it determines the form of the key-signature. The key-signature consists of sharps or flats placed upon the degrees corresponding to the black digitals of the keyboard that are to be used; their number and position show also the position of the key-note. The key-signature of a minor key is the same as that of its relative major key, A key-signature made up of sharps is called a sharp signature; one made up of flats is called a flat signature. The key-signature may be altered in the course of the piece. In this case a heavy bar is inserted, and the sharps or flats that are not to continue in force are nullified by cancels (naturals) prefixed to the new signature. The key-signatures most in use with the common G and F clefs are as follows: Some slight variations in the above forms occur. (See key, keg-signature, and circle of kegs (under circle).) The rhythmical signature, or time-signature, consists of two numerals, the upper of which indicates the number of principal beats in the measure, and the lower the kind of note chosen to represent one such beat. (See rhythm, and rhythmical signature (under rhythmical).) The keysignature is usually repeated at the beginning of every brace; but the rhythmical signature is given but once.
8. n. In entomology, a mark resembling a letter; one of the marks of a signate surface.
9. To mark out; distinguish.

Wiktionary

1. n. A person’s autograph name.
2. n. The act of signing one's name.
3. n. medicine That part of a doctor’s prescription containing directions for the patient.
4. n. music Signs on the stave indicating key and tempo
5. n. printing A group of four (or a multiple of four) pages printed such that, when folded, become a section of a book
6. n. computing A pattern used for matching the identity of a virus, the parameter types of a method, etc.
7. n. cryptography Data attached to a message that guarantees that the message originated from its claimed source.
8. n. figurative A mark or sign of implication.
9. adj. distinctive, characteristic indicative of identity

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A sign, stamp, or mark impressed, as by a seal.
2. n. Especially, the name of any person, written with his own hand, employed to signify that the writing which precedes accords with his wishes or intentions; a sign manual; an autograph.
3. n. (Physiol.) An outward mark by which internal characteristics were supposed to be indicated.
4. n. (Old Med.) A resemblance between the external characters of a disease and those of some physical agent, for instance, that existing between the red skin of scarlet fever and a red cloth; -- supposed to indicate this agent in the treatment of the disease.
5. n. (Mus.) The designation of the key (when not C major, or its relative, A minor) by means of one or more sharps or flats at the beginning of the staff, immediately after the clef, affecting all notes of the same letter throughout the piece or movement. Each minor key has the same signature as its relative major.
6. n. A letter or figure placed at the bottom of the first page of each sheet of a book or pamphlet, as a direction to the binder in arranging and folding the sheets.
7. n. The printed sheet so marked, or the form from which it is printed.
8. n. (Pharm.) That part of a prescription which contains the directions to the patient. It is usually prefaced by S or Sig. (an abbreviation for the Latin signa, imperative of signare to sign or mark).
9. v. To mark with, or as with, a signature or signatures.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the sharps or flats that follow the clef and indicate the key
2. n. a sheet with several pages printed on it; it folds to page size and is bound with other signatures to form a book
3. n. a melody used to identify a performer or a dance band or radio/tv program
4. n. your name written in your own handwriting
5. n. a distinguishing style