token

n. [ OE. token, taken, AS. tācen; akin to OFries. tēken, OS. tēkan, D. teeken, G. zeichen, OHG. Zeihhan, Icel. tākan, teiken, Sw. tecken, Dan. tegn, Goth. taikns sign, token, gateihan to tell, show, AS. teón to accuse, G. zeihen, OHG. zīhan, G. zeigen to show, OHG. zeigōn, Icel. tjā, L. dicere to say, Gr. deikny`nai to show, Skr. diç. Cf. Diction, Teach. ] 1. Something intended or supposed to represent or indicate another thing or an event; a sign; a symbol; as, the rainbow is a token of God's covenant established with Noah. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A memorial of friendship; something by which the friendship of another person is to be kept in mind; a memento; a souvenir. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is some token from a never friend. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Say, by this token, I desire his company. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A piece of metal intended for currency, and issued by a private party, usually bearing the name of the issuer, and redeemable in lawful money. Also, a coin issued by government, esp. when its use as lawful money is limited and its intrinsic value is much below its nominal value. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It is now made unlawful for private persons to issue tokens. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Med.) A livid spot upon the body, indicating, or supposed to indicate, the approach of death. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Like the fearful tokens of the plague,
Are mere forerunners of their ends. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Print.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Ch. of Scot.) A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (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. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Weaving) In a Jacquard loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Token money, money which is lawfully current for more than its real value. See Token, n., 4. --
Token sheet (Print.), the last sheet of each token. W. Savage. [ 1913 Webster ]