I signed to Browne to make his retreat. --Sir W.
Scott.
2. To make a sign upon; to mark with a sign.
We receive this child into the congregation of
Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the
cross. --Bk. of Com
Prayer.
3. To affix a signature to; to ratify by hand or seal; to
subscribe in one's own handwriting.
Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And
let him sign it. --Shak.
4. To assign or convey formally; -- used with away.
5. To mark; to make distinguishable. --Shak.
2. Secret; clandestine. `` A privee thief.'' --Chaucer.
3. Appropriated to retirement; private; not open to the
public. `` Privy chambers.'' --Ezek. xxi. 14.
4. Admitted to knowledge of a secret transaction; secretly
cognizant; privately knowing.
His wife also being privy to it. --Acts v. 2.
Myself am one made privy to the plot. --Shak.
{Privy chamber}, a private apartment in a royal residence.
[Eng.]
{Privy council} (Eng. Law), the principal council of the
sovereign, composed of the cabinet ministers and other
persons chosen by the king or queen. --Burrill.
{Privy councilor}, a member of the privy council.
{Privy purse}, moneys set apart for the personal use of the
monarch; also, the title of the person having charge of
these moneys. [Eng.] --Macaulay.
{Privy seal} or {signed}, the seal which the king uses in
grants, etc., which are to pass the great seal, or which
the uses in matters of subordinate consequence which do
not require the great seal; also, elliptically, the
principal secretary of state, or person intrusted with the
privy seal. [Eng.]
{Privy verdict}, a verdict given privily to the judge out of
court; -- now disused. --Burrill.