Definition

1. 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

1. the signature of a sovereign on an official document