sign away
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: - To formally relinquish or transfer a right, claim, or piece of property to someone else by signing a legal document. It implies giving something up, often permanently.
Usage
The verb "sign away" is used with a direct object, typically a right, asset, or ownership. It carries a connotation of a formal, binding, and often significant surrender.
Examples
- Verb:
- The heir was forced to sign away his inheritance to pay the family's debts.
- Before the merger, the founder had to sign away control of the company.
- Be very careful before you sign away your parental rights.
Advanced Usage
- Legal and Formal Contexts: The phrase is almost exclusively used in contexts involving contracts, legal agreements, or official documents where a signature finalizes the surrender of something valuable.
- The artist regretted signing away the copyright to her early songs.
Variants and Related Words
- Sign over (phrasal verb): Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably with "sign away," though "sign over" can sometimes feel more neutral, simply indicating transfer, while "sign away" more strongly implies loss or relinquishment.
- He signed over the deed to the house.
Synonyms
- Relinquish: To voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up.
- Cede: To give up (power or territory), often formally.
- Forfeit: To lose or give up (something) as a penalty for wrongdoing.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Sign off on: To give formal approval to something by signing.
- The manager needs to sign off on the budget.
- Sign up: To commit to something by registering or enrolling.
- She signed up for a new language course.
Related Idioms
- Sign on the dotted line: To formally agree to something by signing a document.
- Once you sign on the dotted line, the agreement is legally binding.
Verb
- formally assign ownership of
- She signed away her rights