Sign vs. Notice — What's the Difference?

A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm, or medical symptoms a sign of disease.

Notice is the legal concept describing a requirement that a party be aware of legal process affecting their rights, obligations or duties. There are several types of notice: public notice (or legal notice), actual notice, constructive notice, and implied notice.

An object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else

The fact of observing or paying attention to something

A gesture or action used to convey information or an instruction

Notification or warning of something, especially to allow preparations to be made

A notice on public display that gives information or instructions in a written or symbolic form

A displayed sheet or placard giving news or information

Each of the twelve equal sections into which the zodiac is divided, named from the constellations formerly situated in each, and associated with successive periods of the year according to the position of the sun on the ecliptic

Become aware of

The positiveness or negativeness of a quantity

The act of noting or observing; perception or attention

Write one's name on (a letter, card, document, etc.) to identify oneself as the writer or sender

Respectful attention or consideration

Use gestures to convey information or instructions

A written or printed announcement

Indicate with signposts or other markers

A formal announcement, notification, or warning, especially an announcement of one's intention to withdraw from an agreement or leave a job

Mark or consecrate with the sign of the cross

The condition of being formally warned or notified

Something that suggests the presence or existence of a fact, condition, or quality

A printed critical review, as of a play or book.

An act or gesture used to convey an idea, a desire, information, or a command

To take notice of; observe

Sign language.

The act of observing; perception.

A displayed structure bearing lettering or symbols, used to identify or advertise a place of business

(countable) A written or printed announcement.

A posted notice bearing a designation, direction, or command

(countable) A formal notification or warning.

A conventional figure or device that stands for a word, phrase, or operation; a symbol, as in mathematics or in musical notation.

Advance notification of termination of employment, given by an employer to an employee or vice versa.

Pl. sign An indicator, such as a dropping or footprint, of the trail of an animal

(countable) A published critical review of a play or the like.

A trace or vestige

(uncountable) Prior notification.

A portentous incident or event; a presage

(dated) Attention; respectful treatment; civility.

(Medicine) An objective finding, usually detected on physical examination, from a laboratory test, or on an x-ray, that indicates the presence of abnormality or disease.

To remark upon; to mention.

One of the 12 divisions of the zodiac, each named for a constellation and represented by a symbol.

(transitive) To become aware of; to observe.

To affix one's signature to

To lavish attention upon; to treat (someone) favourably.

To write (one's signature)

(intransitive) To be noticeable; to show.

To approve or ratify (a document) by affixing a signature, seal, or other mark

The act of noting, remarking, or observing; observation by the senses or intellect; cognizance; note.

To hire or engage by obtaining a signature on a contract

Intelligence, by whatever means communicated; knowledge given or received; means of knowledge; express notification; announcement; warning.

To relinquish or transfer title to by signature

An announcement, often accompanied by comments or remarks; as, book notices; theatrical notices.

To provide with a sign or signs

A writing communicating information or warning.

To communicate with a sign or signs

Attention; respectful treatment; civility.

To express (a word or thought, for example) in a sign language

To observe; to see; to mark; to take note of; to heed; to pay attention to.

To consecrate with the sign of the cross.

To show that one has observed; to take public note of; remark upon; to make comments on; to refer to; as, to notice a book.

To make a sign or signs; signal.

To treat with attention and civility; as, to notice strangers.

To communicate in a sign language.

An announcement containing information about a future event;

To write one's signature.

The act of noticing or paying attention;

A perceptible (e.g. visible) indication.

A request for payment;

Physical evidence left by an animal.

Advance notification (usually written) of the intention to withdraw from an arrangement or contract;

A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.

A sign posted in a public place as an advertisement;

A wonder; miracle; prodigy.

Polite or favorable attention;

(astrology) An astrological sign.

A short critical review;

(mathematics) Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.

Discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of;

A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.

Notice or perceive;

(uncountable) Sign language in general.

Make or write a comment on;

A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or information (e.g. a word of written language); a unit consisting of a signifier and a signified concept. sign (semiotics)]].

Express recognition of the presence or existence of, or acquaintance with;

An omen.

(medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, can be detected objectively by someone other than the patient.

A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.

To make a mark

To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol.

(transitive) To mark, to put or leave a mark on.

(transitive) To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it.

(transitive) More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc.

To write (one's name) as a signature.

(intransitive) To write one's signature.

(intransitive) To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc.

(transitive) To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract.

To make the sign of the cross

(transitive) To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross.

(reflexive) To cross oneself.

To indicate

(intransitive) To communicate using a gesture or signal.

(transitive) To communicate or make known (a meaning, intention, etc.) by a sign.

(transitive) To communicate using gestures to (someone).

(intransitive) To use sign language.

(transitive) To furnish (a road etc.) with signs.

To determine the sign of

(transitive) To calculate or derive whether a quantity has a positive or negative sign.

That by which anything is made known or represented; that which furnishes evidence; a mark; a token; an indication; a proof.

Something serving to indicate the existence, or preserve the memory, of a thing; a token; a memorial; a monument.

Any symbol or emblem which prefigures, typifles, or represents, an idea; a type; hence, sometimes, a picture.

A word or a character regarded as the outward manifestation of thought; as, words are the sign of ideas.

Hence, one of the gestures of pantomime, or of a language of a signs such as those used by the North American Indians, or those used by the deaf and dumb.

A military emblem carried on a banner or a standard.

The twelfth part of the ecliptic or zodiac.

A character indicating the relation of quantities, or an operation performed upon them; as, the sign + (plus); the sign - (minus); the sign of division ÷, and the like.

Any character, as a flat, sharp, dot, etc.

To represent by a sign; to make known in a typical or emblematic manner, in distinction from speech; to signify.

To make a sign upon; to mark with a sign.

To affix a signature to; to ratify by hand or seal; to subscribe in one's own handwriting.

To assign or convey formally; - used with away.

To mark; to make distinguishable.

To be a sign or omen.

To make a sign or signal; to communicate directions or intelligence by signs.

To write one's name, esp. as a token of assent, responsibility, or obligation.

A perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened);

A public display of a (usually written) message;

Any communication that encodes a message;

Structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted;

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

(medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease;

Having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges);

An event that is experienced as indicating important things to come;

A gesture that is part of a sign language

A fundamental linguistic unit linking a signifier to that which is signified;

A character indicating a relation between quantities;

Mark with one's signature; write one's name (on);

Approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation;

Be engaged by a written agreement;

Engage by written agreement;

Communicate silently and non-verbally by signals or signs;

Place signs, as along a road;

Communicate in sign language;

Make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate

Used of the language of the deaf