resign
/rɪˈzaɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈzaɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈzīn/ (ame, mw)
resign — verb
- resignpresent simple I / you / we / they
- resignshe / she / it
- resignedpast simple
- resigning-ing form
1. to tell your employer, usually in writing, that you are permanently leaving your
to tell your employer, usually in writing, that you are permanently leaving your job — either because you want a change, you disagree with something, or you have found a better position elsewhere.
Élise resigned from her job at the hospital after twelve years on the ward.
resign from + [job/organisation]
Brandon wrote a letter to resign as team leader, citing personal reasons.
resign as + [role]
The finance director threatened to resign if the board approved the merger.
Rania resigned from the company but agreed to stay for three more weeks to help with the transition.
Two board members resigned yesterday after the vote on executive pay.
文法句型
resign from + [organisation/job]
resign as + [role/title]
resign + [position/post] (formal, transitive)
用法筆記
Frequently intransitive (resign without an object). When transitive, the object is a specific post or position ('He resigned the chairmanship'), which is quite formal. Never take a person as direct object — you can resign *from* a team, but you cannot 'resign someone'. Do not confuse with re-sign (pronounced /riːˈzaɪn/), which means to sign a contract again — a completely different word.
常見錯誤
2. in chess, to accept that you have lost the game and stop playing, usually by tip
in chess, to accept that you have lost the game and stop playing, usually by tipping over your king or saying 'I resign', because your position on the board is hopeless.
After losing his queen in a careless move, Paul resigned immediately.
resign after [a mistake/loss of piece]
Mizuki studied the board for a full minute and then quietly resigned.
quietly resigned
The grandmaster resigned when the computer showed checkmate in four moves.
Rather than resign, the young player fought on and somehow forced a draw.
- concede defeat
used in chess and other competitive contexts
- give up
general and less formal; can apply to any situation
文法句型
resign (in chess)
resign + [a game/match] (rare, transitive)
用法筆記
Almost always intransitive in modern chess. The transitive use ('He resigned the game') is understood but old-fashioned. This sense is a specialised metaphor — outside chess, 'resign' does NOT mean 'give up' in competitions; use 'concede' or 'withdraw' instead.
常見錯誤
3. to stop fighting against something unpleasant that you cannot change, and learn
to stop fighting against something unpleasant that you cannot change, and learn to accept it calmly instead of struggling against it — for example, resigning yourself to a long wait, a difficult move, or a loss.
After missing the last bus, Anjali resigned herself to waiting until morning.
resign oneself to + gerund
The Okonkwo family resigned themselves to living in a small flat until they saved enough.
Ezra resigned himself to the fact that his injury would stop him from running.
Nadia slowly resigned herself to the idea of relocating to a new country for work.
The old dog seemed to resign itself to sharing its bed with the new puppy.
- accept
simpler and more general; does not imply reluctance or struggle
- come to terms with
suggests a gradual emotional process
- submit to
more formal and carries a sense of defeat or surrender
文法句型
resign oneself to + [noun]
resign oneself to + [gerund/-ing form]
resign oneself to the fact that + [clause]
用法筆記
Always reflexive — the verb must be followed by a reflexive pronoun (myself/yourself/himself/herself/itself/ourselves/yourselves/themselves) and then 'to'. The object of 'to' can be a noun phrase, a gerund (-ing form), or a that-clause introduced by 'the fact'. This pattern is most common in written and spoken narrative, not in commands or questions.