sign manual
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The signature of a sovereign on an official document: A "sign manual" is the personal, handwritten signature of a monarch, such as a king or queen, used to authenticate and give formal approval to state papers, charters, or proclamations. It signifies the sovereign's direct assent.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The treaty was not valid until it bore the king's sign manual.
- Historians studied the queen's sign manual on the royal charter.
Advanced Usage
- Historical and Legal Context: The term is primarily used in historical, legal, and constitutional contexts related to monarchy. It emphasizes the personal authority of the sovereign, distinguishing it from a stamped seal or a signature by an official.
- The Act of Parliament required the royal sign manual before it could become law.
Variants and Related Words
- Royal Signature: A more common, modern phrase with a similar meaning.
- Autograph: While "autograph" generally means any person's signature, in a royal context, it can be synonymous with "sign manual."
- Signet: A seal used to stamp documents, often used in conjunction with or as an alternative to a sign manual.
Synonyms
- Royal signature
- Monarch's signature
- Sovereign's autograph
Related Phrases
- To affix one's sign manual: The formal act of signing.
- The prince regent affixed his sign manual to the decree.
Noun
- the signature of a sovereign on an official document