▪ I. ‖ signor, n.
(ˈsiːnjɔː(r))
Also 6–9 signior (7 -iour, -ier).
[It. signor, reduced form of signore signore, = Sp. señor, Pg. senhor, F. seigneur:—L. seniōr-em, acc. of senior senior a. and n. See also seigneur and seignior.]
1. In Italian use, or with reference to Italians: A term of respect placed before the name of a man in addressing him or speaking of him, now equivalent to the English ‘Mr.’
| 1584–7 Greene Tritameron of Loue ii. Wks. (Grosart) III. 140 By my faith (Signior Aretino) you haue found such a knot in a Rysh as will bee so hard to vntye as Gordias was. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. ii. i. 85 A thousand thankes signior Gremio. 1605 B. Jonson Volpone i. i, Signior Coruino, come most wisht for! 1736 Gentl. Mag. VI. 648/1 These are the Thoughts of Signior Muffei. 1756–7 tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) III. 350 The houses of..the signiors Verzi, Pompeii, and Pellegrini. 1818 Shelley Tasso 3 Did you inform his Grace that Signor Pigna Waits with state papers for his signature? Ibid. 13 O trust to me, Signor Malpiglio, Those nods [etc.]. 1863 Chambers's Encycl. V. 657/1 Ratazzi..was succeeded in office by Signor Farini. |
| fig. 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Wks. D dd i, Mounsieur Claret, and sweet Signior Sacke. |
b. Used without the name, as a form of address, equivalent to ‘sir’ in English.
| 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iv. i. 36 Good Signior take the stranger to my house. 1599 B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Humour iv. iii, O but Signior, had you such a wife as mine is. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe The Italian i, The stranger..said, ‘Signor, your steps are watched’. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy iv, ‘Isn't one fight a day enough for you, signor?’ said the doctor. 1863 ‘Ouida’ Held in Bondage (1870) 68 Thank you, signor, a thousand thanks. |
c. An Italian gentleman, esp. a singer.
| 1779 Sheridan Critic i. i, Haven't we the Signors and Signoras calling here, sliding their smooth semibreves? 1782 V. Knox Ess. (1819) II. cxvi. 290 The door is always open to player signiors and signioras. |
2. A person of note or distinction; one having rank or authority; a gentleman or nobleman; an overlord. See also grand signior.
| a 1577 Sir T. Smith Commw. Eng. (1609) 12 Amonge whom there is no right Lawe nor Commonwealth compact but onely the will of the Lord and Signior. 1630 Massinger Picture ii. ii, You Signiers Haue no businesse with the souldier. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 63 The commodity of which redounds yearely to the Venetians, for they are Signiors thereof. 1668 R. L'Estrange Vis. Quevedo (1708) 50 You know they are Cavaliers and Signiors already, and now (forsooth) they have an Itch upon them to be Princes. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. lxvi, [He] promised to procure for us the company of an English signior. 1803 Syd. Smith Wks. (1859) I. 56/2 The great mass of territorial proprietors in Denmark are the signiors, possessing fiefs with very extensive privileges. 1885 J. Payn Talk of Town I. 47 Wise and reverend signors may well have learnt by experience to take trifling annoyances with equanimity. |
▪ II. † signor, v. Obs.—1
In 6 signour.
[a. OF. signourer, seignorer, etc., f. seignor seigneur.]
intr. To have lordship.
| 1559 Kal. Shepherds xxxviii. (Wally) k v b, Leo hath the great trees, that is to say he signoureth ouer them. |