- 1to give someone something that they can use, or some work or responsibility assign something (to somebody) The two large classrooms have been assigned to us. The teacher assigned a different task to each of the children. assign somebody something We have been assigned the two large classrooms. The teacher assigned each of the children a different task.
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- 2to provide a person for a particular task or position assign somebody (to something/as something) They've assigned their best man to the job. assign somebody to do something U.S. forces have been assigned to help with peacekeeping.
- 3[usually passive] assign somebody to somebody/something to send a person to work under the authority of someone or in a particular group I was assigned to B platoon.
- 4to say that something has a particular value or function, or happens at a particular time or place assign something to something Assign a different color to each different type of information. assign something sth The painting cannot be assigned an exact date.
- 5assign something to somebody (law) to say that your property or rights now belong to someone else The agreement assigns copyright to the publisher. She has assigned the lease to her daughter.
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NAmE//əˈsaɪn//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they assign he / she / it assigns
past simple assigned
-ing form assigning
Check pronunciation: assign