Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON-SIGN', v.t. [consi'ne; L. consigno, to seal or sign; con and signo, to seal or stump; signum, a sign, seal or mark; It. consegnare, to deposit, deliver, consign; Sp. consignar; Fr. consigner. See Sign. The sense is, to set to, to thrust or send.]

1. To give, send, or set over; to transfer or deliver into the possession of another, or into a different state, with the sense of fixedness in that state, or permanence of possession; as, at death the body is consigned to the grave. At the day of general account, good men are to be consigned over to another state. Atterbury.
2. To deliver or transfer, as a charge or trust; to commit; as, to consign a youth to the care of a preceptor; to consign goods to a factor.
3. To set over or commit, for permanent preservation; as, to consign a history to writing. – Addison.
4. To appropriate. – Dryden.