σημαίνω
Etym. σῆμα
I. "to shew by a sign, indicate, make known, point out", Hom., etc.
2. absol. "to give signs, make signals", Il., Trag.
II. "to give a sign or signal to do" a thing, Il.; c. inf., Hdt., etc.; μὴ σημήναντός σου "without any order from" you, Plat.:—c. gen. "to bear command over", τινός or ἐπί τισι Hom.: absol. "to give orders", id=Hom.; σημαίνων ῀ σημάντωρ, Soph.
2. in war, "to give the signal" of attack, Thuc.; ση. τῆι σάλπιγγι Xen.; ση. ἀναχώρησιν "to make signal" for retreat, Thuc.:—impers., σημαίνει (sc. ὁ σαλπιγκτής) "signal is given", τοῖς Ἕλλησι ὡς ἐσήμηνε "when signal was given" for the Greeks to attack, Hdt.; ἐσήμαινε πάντα παραρτέεσθαι "signal was given" to make all ready, id=Hdt.
III. "to signify, indicate, announce, declare", Eur., Hdt., attic
2. generally, "to signify, interpret, explain", Hdt., Aesch.; absol., σήμαινε "tell", Soph.
IV. = σφραγίζω, "to stamp with a sign or mark, to seal", Lat. obsignare, mostly in Mid., Xen.:—Pass., εὖ σεσημάνθαι "to be" well "sealed up", Ar.; τὰ σεσημασμέναι, opp. to τὰ ἀσήμαντα, Dem.
B. Mid. σημαίνομαι, like τεκμαίρομαι, "to give oneself a token", i. e. "conclude from signs, conjecture", Soph.
II. "to mark for oneself", σημαίνεσθαι βύβλωι (sc. βοῦν), i. e. by sealing a strip of byblus round his horn, Hdt.