assign

To give someone a job or piece of work to do.

• The teacher assigned some homework.
• I was assigned to help the new staff.
• Who assigned this task to you?

How to use it: assign something to someone (The manager assigned the task to me.); assign someone something (Our teacher assigned us three exercises.); assign someone to do something (They assigned her to check the accounts.)

Similar words: give, allocate

Common phrases: assign a task, assign homework, assign someone work

To give something a category, value, date, or other description based on your judgment.

• Assign each item a number.
• The researchers assigned a date to the painting.
• These animals were assigned to different categories.

How to use it: assign something to something (We assigned a category to each entry.); assign something a value/category (The program assigns each answer a score.)

Similar words: attribute, classify

Common phrases: assign a value, assign a category, assign a date

To choose or set aside something for a particular person or purpose.

• They assigned us a quiet room.
• More money was assigned to the project.
• The court assigned a date for the trial.

How to use it: assign something to someone/something (They assigned a room to each guest.); assign something for something (The council assigned land for the new school.)

Similar words: allocate, allot, reserve

Common phrases: assign a room, assign a seat, assign resources

To choose someone to fill a particular position or official role.

• The court assigned a lawyer to him.
• She was assigned as the team’s official representative.
• They assigned a new officer to the post.

How to use it: assign someone as something (The court assigned her as counsel for the prisoner.); assign someone to a post (They assigned him to a senior post.)

Similar words: appoint, designate

Common phrases: assign a lawyer, assign an officer, assign someone counsel