Adjacent Words

Countersign definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COUNTERSIGN, v.t. [counter and sign.] Literally, to sign on the opposite side of an instrument or writing; hence, to sign, as secretary or other subordinate officer, a writing signed by a principal or superior, to attest the authenticity of the writing. Thus charters signed by a king are countersigned by a secretary. Bank notes signed by the president are countersigned by the cashier.
COUNTERSIGN, n. A private signal, word or phrase, given to soldiers on guard, with orders to let no man pass unless he first names that sign; a military watchword. Advance and give the countersign.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group; "he forgot the password" [syn: password, watchword, word, parole, countersign]
2: a second confirming signature endorsing a document already signed [syn: countersignature, countersign] v
1: add one's signature to after another's to attest authenticity; "You must countersign on this line of the contract"

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 1591 1. a signature attesting the authenticity of a document already signed by another 2. a sign given in reply to another; specifically a military secret signal that must be given by one wishing to pass a guard • countersign transitive verb • countersignature noun

U.S. Military Dictionary

(*) A secret challenge and its reply. See also challenge; password.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.tr. 1 add a signature to (a document already signed by another). 2 ratify. --n. 1 a watchword or password spoken to a person on guard (cf. PAROLE). 2 a mark used for identification etc. Derivatives: counter-signature n. Etymology: F contresigner (v.), contresigne (n.) f. It. contrasegno (as COUNTER-, SIGN)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Countersign Coun`ter*sign" (-s?n`; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Countersigned (-s?nd`); p. pr. & vb. n. Countersigning.] [Counter- + sign: cf. F. contresigner.] To sign on the opposite side of (an instrument or writing); hence, to sign in addition to the signature of a principal or superior, in order to attest the authenticity of a writing.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Countersign Coun"ter*sign`, a. 1. The signature of a secretary or other officer to a writing signed by a principal or superior, to attest its authenticity. 2. (Mil.) A private signal, word, or phrase, which must be given in order to pass a sentry; a watchword.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(countersigns, countersigning, countersigned) If you countersign a document, you sign it after someone else has signed it. The President has so far refused to countersign the Prime Minister's desperate decree... VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Watchword, password.

Moby Thesaurus

ID card, John Hancock, OK, X, accept, accredit, affirm, amen, approve, assure, authenticate, authorize, autograph, avouch, badge, calligram, calling card, card, certify, christcross, cipher, confirm, cosign, countermark, countersignature, counterstamp, credentials, cross, device, dog tag, endorse, endorsement, give permission, give the go-ahead, give the imprimatur, give thumbs up, guarantee, hand, identification, identification badge, identification tag, initial, initials, letter of introduction, make a promise, mark, mark of signature, monogram, notarize, open sesame, pass, pass on, pass upon, password, permit, pledge, plight, press card, promise, ratify, rubber stamp, sanction, say amen to, seal, second, secret grip, serial number, shibboleth, sigil, sign, sign and seal, sign manual, signature, signet, subscribe to, subscription, support, swear, swear and affirm, swear to, tessera, token, troth, undersign, underwrite, validate, visa, vise, visiting card, vouch, vow, warrant, watchword, word