Green’s Dictionary of Slang

the human face.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

to make a gesture of recognition, usu. indicating that all is well, ‘the coast is clear’.

1957

Kerouac On The Road (1972) 163: She was afraid to give me the sign, though she saw me in that doorway.

a widow’s weeds.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Sign of a house to let, a widow’s weeds.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

any public house called the Crown; thus the sign of the ten shillings, the Two Crowns; …fifteen shillings, the Three Crowns.

c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Five Shillings the Sign of five Shillings, i.e. the Crown. Fifteen Shillings The Sign of the three Crowns.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn) n.p.: Five Shillings. The sign of five shillings, i.e. the crown. Fifteen shillings; the sign of the three crowns. [Ibid.] Sign of the Ten Shillings, The two crowns.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

(orig. Irish) bad luck to you! consequences will follow!

1922		Joyce Ulysses 409: Signs on you, hairy arse.
1936		F. O’Connor in Stories (1953) 178: Dan had looked after his mother while the life was in her, and after her death no other woman had crossed the threshold. Signs on it, his house had that look .
1963		John McGahern Barracks n.p.: Pass the exams. That’s what gets people on. That and swindlin’. I didn’t do much of either meself. More’s the pity. And signs are on it! [BS].
1979		H. Leonard A Life (1981) Act II: I wiped your eye. And sign’s on it you got Dolly and she’s a credit to you.