What is "to assign dower"

Assign \As*sign"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assigned; p. pr. & vb. n. Assigning.] [OE. assignen, asignen, F. assigner, fr. L. assignare; ad + signare to mark, mark out, designate, signum mark, sign. See Sign.]

1. To appoint; to allot; to apportion; to make over.

   In the order I assign to them.
   --Loudon.

   The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better station than that in which his lot had been assigned.
   --Southey.

   He assigned to his men their several posts.
   --Prescott.

2. To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out authoritatively or exactly; as, to assign a limit; to assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial.

   All as the dwarf the way to her assigned.
   --Spenser.

   It is not easy to assign a period more eventful.
   --De Quincey.

3. (Law) To transfer, or make over to another, esp. to transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called assignees, for the benefit of creditors.

   To assign dower, to set out by metes and bounds the widow's share or portion in an estate.
   --Kent.