As-sign' (-sīn')1, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. ASSIGNED; p. pr. & vb. n. ASSIGNING.] [Lat. assignare, from ad and signare, to mark, mark out, designate, from signum, mark, sign; Fr. assigner, Pr. assignar, Sp. asignar, Pg. assinar, It. assegnare.]
Sense 1. To appoint; to allot; to mark out; to apportion. “In the order I assign to them.” Loudon.
The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better station than that in which his lot had been assigned. Southey.
Sense 2. To fix, specify, select, designate, or point out; as, to assign a limit; to assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial and hearing motions to assign errors, &c.
All as the dwarf the way to her assigned. Spenser.
It is not easy to assign a period more eventful. De Quincey.
Sense 3. (Law.) (a.) To transfer, or make over to another. (b.) To transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called assignees, for the benefit of creditors.
To assign dower, to set out by metes and bounds the widow's share or portion in an estate. Kent.