The difference between Sign and Token
When used as nouns, sign means a visible indication, whereas token means something serving as an expression of something else.
When used as verbs, sign means to seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol, whereas token means to betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote.
Token is also adjective with the meaning: done as an indication or a pledge.
check bellow for the other definitions of Sign and Token
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Sign as a noun (sometimes, also used uncountably):
A visible indication.
Examples:
"Their angry expressions were a clear sign they didn't want to talk."
"Those clouds show signs of raining soon."
"Those clouds show little sign of raining soon."
"'Signs of disease are objective, whereas symptoms are subjective."
"The sharp sign indicates that the pitch of the note is raised a half step."
"I gave them a thumbs-up sign."
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Sign as a noun (North America, AU, uncountable):
Physical evidence left by an animal.
Examples:
"The hunters found deer sign at the end of the trail."
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Sign as a noun:
A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
Examples:
"The sign in the window advertised a room for rent."
"I missed the sign at the corner so I took the wrong turn."
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Sign as a noun:
A wonder; miracle; prodigy.
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Sign as a noun (astrology):
An astrological sign.
Examples:
"Your sign is Taurus? That's no surprise."
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Sign as a noun (mathematics):
Positive or negative polarity. (Note: it is improper to place a sign on the number zero)
Examples:
"I got the magnitude right, but the sign was wrong."
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Sign as a noun:
A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
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Sign as a noun (uncountable):
Sign language in general.
Examples:
"Sorry, I don't know sign very well."
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Sign as a noun:
An omen.
Examples:
"It's a sign of the end of the world," the doom prophet said."
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Sign as a noun (medicine):
A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.
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Sign as a noun:
A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.
Examples:
"rfquotek Milton"
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Sign as a verb (transitive, now, _, rare):
To make a mark To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol. To mark, to put or leave a mark on. To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it. More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc. To write (one's name) as a signature. To write one's signature. To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc. To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract.
Examples:
"The Queen signed her letter with the regal signet."
"I forgot to sign that letter to my aunt."
"Just sign your name at the bottom there."
"I received a letter from some woman who signs herself ‘Mrs Trellis’."
"Please sign on the dotted line."
"It was a great month. I managed to sign three major players."
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Sign as a verb (transitive):
To make the sign of the cross To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross. To cross oneself.
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Sign as a verb (intransitive):
To indicate To communicate using a gesture or signal. To communicate using gestures to (someone). To use sign language. To furnish (a road etc.) with signs.
Examples:
"He signed me that I should follow him through the doorway."
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Token as a noun:
Something serving as an expression of something else; sign, symbol
Examples:
"According to the Bible, the rainbow is a token of God's covenant with Noah."
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Token as a noun:
A keepsake, memento, souvenir
Examples:
"Please accept this bustier as a token of our time together."
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Token as a noun:
A piece of stamped metal or plastic, etc., used as a substitute for money; a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services
Examples:
"Subway tokens are being replaced by magnetic cards."
"A book token is the easiest option for a Christmas gift."
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Token as a noun (obsolete, sometimes, figurative):
Evidence, proof; a confirming detail; physical trace, mark, footprint.
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Token as a noun:
Support for a belief; grounds for an opinion; reason, reasoning
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Token as a noun:
An extraordinary event serving as evidence of supernatural power, a miracle
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Token as a noun:
An object or disclosure to attest or authenticate the bearer or an instruction; a password
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Token as a noun:
A seal guaranteeing the quality of an item.
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Token as a noun:
Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith.
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Token as a noun:
A tally
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Token as a noun (philosophy):
A particular thing to which a concept applies.
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Token as a noun (computing):
An atomic piece of data, such as a word, for which a meaning may be inferred during parsing. Also called a symbol.
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Token as a noun (computing):
A conceptual object that can be possessed by a computer, process, etc. in order to regulate a turn-taking system such as a token ring network.
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Token as a noun (computing):
A meaningless placeholder used as a substitute for sensitive data.
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Token as a noun (grammar):
A lexeme; a basic, grammatically indivisible unit of a language such as a keyword, operator or identifier.
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Token as a noun (corpus linguistics):
A single example of a certain word in a text or corpus, as opposed to a type.
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Token as a noun (medical):
A characteristic sign of a disease or of a bodily disorder, a symptom; a sign of a bodily condition, recovery, or health.
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Token as a noun (medical, obsolete):
A livid spot upon the body, indicating, or supposed to indicate, the approach of death.
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Token as a noun (printing):
Ten and a half quires, or, commonly, 250 sheets, of paper printed on both sides; also, in some cases, the same number of sheets printed on one side, or half the number printed on both sides.
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Token as a noun (mining):
A bit of leather having a peculiar mark designating a particular miner. Each hewer sends one of these with each corf or tub he has hewn.
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Token as a noun (mining):
A thin bed of coal indicating the existence of a thicker seam at no great distance.
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Token as a noun (rail transport):
A physical object used for exchange between drivers and signalmen on single track lines.
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Token as a noun (weaving):
In a loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use.
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Token as a noun (Church of Scotland):
A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.
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Token as an adjective:
Done as an indication or a pledge; perfunctory, minimal or merely symbolic.
Examples:
"He made a token tap on the brake pedal at the stop sign."
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Token as an adjective:
a minor attempt for appearance sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement
Examples:
"he was hired as the company's token black person"
"the television show was primarily directed toward a black audience, but it did have a few token white people as performers"
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Token as a verb:
To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote
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Token as a verb:
To betroth
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Token as a verb (philosophy):
To symbolize, instantiate