I. To unseal, open (class.).
A. Lit.: “litteras,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 65; Cic. Att. 11, 9, 2: “testamenta,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 9; Dig. 28, 1, 23; 29, 3, 6: “loculos,” Plin. 14, 13, 14, § 89.—Poet.: “perjuria Graia resignat,” breaks through the faithless band, Sil. 17, 426: (Mercurius) lumina morte resignat, opens the eyes of the dead whom he is about to conduct to Orcus, Verg. A. 4, 244.—
B. Trop.
1. To annul, cancel, invalidate, rescind, destroy (syn.: “rescindere, dissolvere): tabularum fidem,” Cic. Arch. 5, 9: “ne quid ex constituti fide resignaret,” violate, Flor. 4, 7, 14 Duker: “pacta,” Sil. 4, 790: “jura leti (Mercurius),” Prud. adv. Symm. 1, 90: “quorum mors resignata est,” Lact. 7, 22 fin.—
2. To disclose, reveal (only poet.): “venientia fata,” Ov. F. 6, 535: “hoc, quod latet, etc.,” Pers. 5, 28: verba, Mart. 9, 36, 5. —
II. Ante-class. and in Hor. = rescribere (I. B. 2.), to transfer in an account; to assign to one: “resignare antiqui dicebant pro rescribere, ut adhuc subsignare dicimus pro subscribere,” Fest. p. 281, 31 Müll.: resignatum aes dicitur militi, cum ob delictum aliquod jussu tribuni militum, ne stipendium ei detur, in tabulas refertur. Signare enim dicebant pro scribere, id. pp. 284 and 285 ib.; Cato ap. Serv. Verg. A. 4, 244. — Hence, to give back, resign, = reddere: “laudo manentem (Fortunam): si celeres quatit Pennas, resigno quae dedit,” Hor. C. 3, 29, 54: “cuncta resigno,” id. Ep. 1, 7, 34.
