sign of affection
3
2.7
- noun
:
gesto de afecto
- He had gotten that part right yesterday, until he decided that slamming the apple against her head was an appropriate sign of affection.
- show signs of affection
Examples
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Caterina and the Don never showed public signs of affection, but all was understood in the village, so no man dared to present any gallantries to Caterina, and all showed her all the respect the female head of the house was due.
Fiction book (2001) -
Touched by this sign of affection, Daine hugged him, burying her fingers in his shaggy coat.
Fiction book (1994) -
Nice sign of affection, I think.
-
A token of friendship, a simple way of saying thank you for the evening, a sign of affection.
Fiction book (2002) -
They say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection.
-
A sign of affection
-
He opened the blanket and wrapped Medicine Wolf in it as a sign of affection.
Fiction book (1992) -
Now some people do go overboard and think any outward signs of affection are wrong, and some are too eager to say that what was once OK for a parent is now sexual abuse, and that too is wrong; it shouldn't be that way.
Blog text (3) -
Holding hands in public is often seen as a sign of affection between couples.
-
A smile or a gentle touch can be a simple sign of affection that makes someone's day better.
Synonyms
433
1.0
A tight hold with the arms to show care
3
3.8
An action that shows love to someone, for example a gentle touch
1
4.7
Holding someone in your arms to show affection
1
8.2
A warm hug people give to show affection
A close hug made by putting your arms around someone to show affection
A warm welcome you give by opening your arms to hold someone
A small playful act that shows love, like a hug or kiss
Antonyms
How Affectionate
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a gesture or action that shows love or fondness' is directly and compositionally derived from 'sign' (an indicator) + 'of' (linking) + 'affection' (warm feeling). This is a regular noun phrase pattern ('sign of X') that exists across many languages and is easily inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The phrase sign of affection comes from a simple image: people and animals show they care with small acts, like a hug, a gift of flowers, or a cat's purr. These small acts are a sign that someone feels affection, so the phrase now means a small gesture that shows 'love' or 'warmth'.