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Absolute vs Sign - What's the difference?

absolute | sign |

As nouns the difference between absolute and sign

is that absolute is (philosophy) that which is totally unconditioned, unrestricted, pure, perfect, or complete; that which can be thought of without relation to others while sign is (sometimes|also used uncountably) a visible indication.

As a verb sign is

to make a mark.

absolute

English

Alternative forms

*

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (obsolete) Absolved; free.
  • (obsolete) Disengaged from accidental circumstances.
  • (archaic) Complete in itself; perfect.
  • * (rfdate) :
  • So absolute she seems, And in herself complete.
  • (grammar) Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence; as
  • # (of a case form) syntactically connected to the rest of the sentence in an atypical manner; ablative absolute; nominative absolute; genitive absolute; accusative absolute.
  • # standing by itself in a loose syntactical connection, and qualifying the sentence as a whole rather than any single word in it.
  • Anyhow in 'anyhow, I made it home' is an absolute .
  • # (of an adjective or possessive pronoun) lacking a modified substantive.
  • Hungry in 'Feed the hungry.'
  • # (comparative, superlative) expressing a relative term without a definite comparison.'
  • Older in 'An older person should be treated with respect.
  • # having no direct object.
  • Kill in 'If looks could kill...'
  • # (Irish, Welsh) an inflected verb that is not preceded by any number of articles or compounded with a preverb.
  • (obsolete) Absorbed in, as an occupation.
  • Unrestricted; in sole control; possessing absolute power; independent, as in ownership or authority.
  • Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.
  • (figurative) Complete; utter; outright; unmitigated; entire; total; not qualified or diminished in any way; unrestricted; without limitation.
  • When caught, he told an absolute lie.
  • Unconditional; free from any conditions, limitations, and relations;
  • # having unlimited power, without limits set by a constitution, parliament, or other means.
  • # proceeding from or characteristic of an absolute ruler.
  • * 1962 , Hannah Arendt, On Revolution , (1990), page 155:
  • the more absolute' the ruler, the more ' absolute the revolution will be which replaces him.
  • # Absolutist; arbitrary; despotic.
  • Real; actual.
  • (archaic) Certain; free from doubt or uncertainty, as a person or prediction.
  • * (rfdate) (William Shakespeare), Cymbeline , Act 4, Scene 2:
  • I am absolute ’t was very Cloten.
  • Positive; unquestionable; peremptory.
  • Free from conditional limitations; operating or existing in full under all circumstances without variation.
  • (philosophy) Existing, able to be thought of, or able to be viewed without relation to other things.
  • absolute motion
    absolute time or space
    Absolute rights and duties are such as pertain to man in a state of nature as contradistinguished from ''relative'' rights and duties, or such as pertain to him in his social relations.
  • * (rfdate) :
  • To Cusa we can indeed articulately trace, word and thing, the recent philosophy of the absolute .
  • Authoritative; peremptory.
  • * (rfdate) :
  • The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head, With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed.
  • (philosophy) Fundamental; ultimate; intrinsic; free from the variability and error natural to the human way of thinking and perception.
  • (physics) Independent of arbitrary units of measurement not comparative or relative as,
  • # having reference to or derived from the simplest manner from the fundamental units of mass, time, and length.
  • # relating to the absolute temperature scale.
  • (legal) Complete; unconditional; final; without encumbrances; not liable to change or cancellation.
  • (education) Pertaining to a grading system based on the knowledge of the individual and not on the comparative knowledge of the group of students.
  • (art) Concerned entirely with expressing beauty and feelings, lacking meaningful reference.
  • (dance) Utilizing the body to express ideas, independent of music and costumes.
  • (math) Indicating an expression that is true for all real number; unconditional.
  • Derived terms

    * ablative absolute * absolute address * absolute curvature * absolute equation * absolute magnitude * absolute majority * absolute monarchy * absolute music * absolute pitch * absolute power * absolute space * absolute term * absolute temperature * absolute value * absolute zero

    Synonyms

    * categorical, unconditional, unlimited, unrestricted * (having unlimited power) autocratic, despotic * (complete in itself) fixed * (able to be viewed without relation to other things) independent

    Antonyms

    * conditional, limited * (able to be viewed without relation to other things) relative, dependent

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which is independent of context-dependent interpretation, inviolate, fundamental.
  • moral absolutes
  • Anything that is absolute.
  • (geometry) In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.
  • (philosophy, usually capitalized) A realm which exists without reference to anything else; that which can be imagined purely by itself; absolute ego.
  • * 1983 , (Lawrence Durrell), Sebastian'', Faber & Faber 2004 (''Avignon Quintet ), page 1039:
  • Withdrawn as a Buddha he sat, watching the alien world from his perch in the absolute .
  • (philosophy, usually capitalized) The unity of spirit and nature; God.
  • (philosophy, usually capitalized) The whole of reality; the totality to which everything is reduced.
  • Concentrated natural flower oil, used for perfumes.
  • Usage notes

    * (not dependent on anything else) Usually preceded by the word the . * (sense) Usually preceded by the word the

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    sign

    English

    (wikipedia sign)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) signe, from (etyl) ; root uncertain.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sometimes, also used uncountably) A visible indication.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited.}}
  • A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
  • * Macaulay
  • The shops were, therefore, distinguished by painted signs , which gave a gay and grotesque aspect to the streets.
  • A traffic sign.
  • A meaningful gesture.
  • Any of several specialized non-alphabetic symbols.
  • (astrology) An astrological sign.
  • (mathematics) Positive or negative polarity.
  • A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
  • *, II.12:
  • And why not, as well as our dumbe men dispute, argue and tell histories by signes ?
  • * 2007 , Marcel Danesi, The Quest for Meaning :
  • In American Sign Language (ASL), for instance, the sign for 'catch' is formed with one hand (in the role of agent) moving across the body (an action) to grasp the forefinger of the other hand (the patient).
  • (uncountable) Sign language in general.
  • An omen.
  • (medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.
  • A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.
  • (Milton)
    Derived terms
    * air sign * astrological sign * earth sign * fire sign * high sign * Indian sign * minus sign * neon sign * plus sign * road sign * sign language * sign of life * star sign * street sign * traffic sign * vital sign * water sign

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (seigner), (seiner) et al., (etyl) signer et al., and their source, (etyl) ; see Etymology 1, above. Compare (sain).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a mark
  • #
  • #:The Queen signed her letter with the regal signet.
  • # To mark, to put or leave a mark on.
  • #*1726 , Elijah Fenton, The Odyssey of Homer :
  • #*:Meantime revolving in his thoughtful mind / The scar, with which his manly knee was sign'd […].
  • # To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it.
  • #*c. 1597 , (William Shakespeare), The Merchant of Venice :
  • #*:Enquire the Iewes house out, giue him this deed, / And let him signe it […].
  • # More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc.
  • I forgot to sign that letter to my aunt.
  • #
  • #:Just sign your name at the bottom there.
  • #:I received a letter from some woman who signs herself ‘Mrs Trellis’.
  • # To write one's signature.
  • Please sign on the dotted line.
  • # To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc.
  • #*2011 , The Guardian , (headline), 18 Oct 2011:
  • #*:Agents say Wales back Gavin Henson has signed for Cardiff Blues.
  • # To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract.
  • It was a great month. I managed to sign three major players.
  • To make the sign of the cross
  • # To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross.
  • #* Book of Common Prayer
  • #*:We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross.
  • #*1971 , , Religion and the Decline of Magic , Folio Society 2012, p. 34:
  • #*:At the baptismal ceremony the child was […] signed with the cross in holy water.
  • # (reflexive) To cross oneself.
  • #*1855 , (Robert Browning), Men and Women :
  • #*:Shaking a fist at him with one fierce arm, / Signing himself with the other because of Christ.
  • To indicate
  • # To communicate using a gesture or signal.
  • #* Sir Walter Scott:
  • I signed to Browne to make his retreat.
  • # To communicate using gestures to (someone).
  • #:He signed me that I should follow him through the doorway.
  • # To use sign language.
  • # To furnish (a road etc.) with signs.
  • Derived terms
    * sign in * signing bonus * sign off * sign on * sign over * sign out * sign up * sign one's life away

    Anagrams

    *