resignation

Etymology

From Middle English resignacion, resignacioun, from Old French resignation, from Medieval Latin resignātiōnem, accusative of resignātio. Equivalent to resign + -ation.

noun

1. The act of resigning.
   Jane offered her resignation to the board of directors, but they refused.
   I knew my Cabinet well, and despite Haig's reports that they were all holding firm I knew that there would be great pressure on them all, and great temptations, to make public demands for my resignation. That was something I had to prevent if I possibly could. I was determined not to appear to have resigned the presidency because of a consensus of staff or Cabinet opinion or because of public pressure from the people around me. For me and no less for the country, I believed that my resignation had to be seen as something that I had decided upon completely on my own. 1978, Richard Nixon, “The Presidency 1973-1974”, in RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon, Grosset & Dunlap, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 1064
2. A written or oral declaration that one resigns.
   hand in one's resignation
3. An uncomplaining acceptance of something undesirable but unavoidable.
   With resignation I acknowledged that after the accident I would not be able to ski again.
4. (Scotland, law, historical) The form by which a vassal returns the feu into the hands of a superior.