Definition: assign

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

assign
     v 1: give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task
          to (a person) [syn: delegate, designate, depute]
     2: give out; "We were assigned new uniforms" [syn: allot, portion]
     3: attribute to a source or cause; "We attributed this
        quotation to Shakespeare" [syn: impute, ascribe, attribute]
     4: select something or someone for a specific purpose; "The
        teacher ssigned him to lead his classmates in the
        exercise" [syn: specify, set apart]
     5: put something on or into (abstractly) assign; ; "She put
        much emphasis on her the last statement"; "He put all his
        efforts into this job"; "The teacher put an interesting
        twist to the interpretation of the story" [syn: put]
     6: make undue claims to having [syn: arrogate, ascribe]
     7: transfer one's right to
     8: decide as to where something belongs in a scheme; "The
        biologist assigned the mushroom to the proper class" [syn:
         attribute]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

ASsign \AS*sign"\, v. i. (Law)
   To transfer or pass over property to another, whether for the
   benefit of the assignee or of the assignor's creditors, or in
   furtherance of some trust.

Assign \As*sign"\, n. [See Assignee.] (Law)
   A person to whom property or an interest is transferred; as,
   a deed to a man and his heirs and assigns.

Assign \As*sign"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assigned; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Assigning.] [OE. assignen, asignen, F. assigner, fr. L.
   assignare; ad + signare to mark, mark out, designate, signum
   mark, sign. See Sign.]
   1. To appoint; to allot; to apportion; to make over.

            In the order I assign to them.        --Loudon.

            The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better
            station than that in which his lot had been
            assigned.                             --Southey.

            He assigned to his men their several posts.
                                                  --Prescott.

   2. To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out
      authoritatively or exactly; as, to assign a limit; to
      assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial.

            All as the dwarf the way to her assigned. --Spenser.

            It is not easy to assign a period more eventful.
                                                  --De Quincey.

   3. (Law) To transfer, or make over to another, esp. to
      transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called
      assignees, for the benefit of creditors.

   To assign dower, to set out by metes and bounds the widow's
      share or portion in an estate. --Kent.

Assign \As*sign"\, n. [From Assign, v.]
   A thing pertaining or belonging to something else; an
   appurtenance. [Obs.]

         Six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as
         girdles, hangers, and so.                --Shak.