CONSIGN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does consign mean? 

• CONSIGN (verb)
  The verb CONSIGN has 3 senses:

1. commit forever; commit irrevocably

2. give over to another for care or safekeeping

3. send to an address

  Familiarity information: CONSIGN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONSIGN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they consign    ... he / she / it consigns   
Past simple: consigned   
Past participle: consigned   
-ing form: consigning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Commit forever; commit irrevocably

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "consign" is one way to...):

abandon (forsake, leave behind)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

consignment (the official act of consigning a person to confinement (as in a prison or mental hospital))

consignor (the person who delivers over or commits merchandise)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give over to another for care or safekeeping

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

charge; consign

Context example:

consign your baggage

Hypernyms (to "consign" is one way to...):

commit; confide; entrust; intrust; trust (confer a trust upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "consign"):

pledge (give as a guarantee)

hock; pawn; soak (leave as a guarantee in return for money)

check (hand over something to somebody as for temporary safekeeping)

check (consign for shipment on a vehicle)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

consignee (the person to whom merchandise is delivered over)

consigner (the person who delivers over or commits merchandise)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Send to an address

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "consign" is one way to...):

deliver (bring to a destination, make a delivery)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

consignment (the delivery of goods for sale or disposal)

 Context examples 

Consigned to which, and to a speedy end (for mental torture is not supportable beyond a certain point, and that point I feel I have attained), my course is run.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

This cargo was consigned to a Whitby solicitor, Mr. S. F. Billington, of 7, The Crescent, who this morning went aboard and formally took possession of the goods consigned to him.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It was consigned to Mr. Abe Slaney, Elriges Farm, East Ruston, Norfolk.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If I sought to enter by the house, my own servants would consign me to the gallows.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

To some of the best-looking of these good people Henrietta was consigned, for, though partially revived, she was quite helpless; and in this manner, Anne walking by her side, and Charles attending to his wife, they set forward, treading back with feelings unutterable, the ground, which so lately, so very lately, and so light of heart, they had passed along.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

When all of the house that was open to general inspection had been seen, they returned downstairs, and, taking leave of the housekeeper, were consigned over to the gardener, who met them at the hall-door.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Next day Amy was rather late at school, but could not resist the temptation of displaying, with pardonable pride, a moist brown-paper parcel, before she consigned it to the inmost recesses of her desk.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

We alighted; and followed the plain coffin to a corner I remember well, where the service was read consigning it to the dust.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Now, suppose I, who have much of affairs, wish to ship goods, say, to Newcastle, or Durham, or Harwich, or Dover, might it not be that it could with more ease be done by consigning to one in these ports?

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It was, moreover, such a promising thing for her younger daughters, as Jane's marrying so greatly must throw them in the way of other rich men; and lastly, it was so pleasant at her time of life to be able to consign her single daughters to the care of their sister, that she might not be obliged to go into company more than she liked.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)