What is the difference between consign and assign?

Consign means to give something over to someone else’s care. So, let’s say you take some of your old clothes to a 2nd hand store for them to sell on your behalf. You have consigned the clothes to the store.

Assign can be used to mean basically the same thing as consign (to transfer), and can also be used in other ways. You can appoint someone to do something (I assigned the class a book report for homework) or to a position (he was assigned the job of Vice President of the corporation) or to attribute meaning to something (After thinking about what Bob did, Sue assigned a negative motivation to his actions).

I’ll address a legal relationship difference. Consignment is a creation of a relationship between two people, where one holds property for resale on behalf of the owner. Assignment, however, is the termination, in essence, of a relationship between original parties to an agreement and substitution of a new party or parties.

@iamthemob Ahhhh, now I have Assignment of Lease in my head and I’m on holiday break. Evil law office thoughts get out of my head!!! Begone! LOL