Since the word *sign* comes with too many aliases to its meaning, let us "thesaurically" find a less aliased word. The possible words are ... - authenticate - ratify - concur - consent - assent - affirm - acknowledge - validate Let us say that it is a legal document that affirms mutual interests of the parties involved. We could call such a document an *affirming document*. And ... that affirmation does not need to be acknowledged, or does not need to be acknowledged by signing but by simply reading it. The other dimension you would need to look at is described by these words - implied - tacit Therefore, the terminology you wish to construct could be one of - non-ratifying acknowledgement document - non-ratifying affirmation document - non-ratifying acknowledged document - tacitly acknowledged document The complete phrase that would describe the state of affairs is - non-ratifying but tacitly acknowledged/affirmed document Which is a mouthful. Since your question is too generic, without specifics, I could simply recommend using one of the following to suit your specific situations. - tacitly ratified/acknowledged/approved/affirmed/validated document. In the commercial realm, you may encounter - Absence of response is *tacit acknowledgement* of the following known defects, in the product you are purchasing. - Reading this document is *tacit acknowledgement* of the rights and responsibilities stated in the document that you have as a tenant. - Non-acknowledgement is *tacit agreement* to the terms stated in this document. ---- [tacit][1] (ˈtæsɪt) #### adj 1. implied or inferred without direct expression; understood: a tacit agreement. 2. (Law) created or having effect by operation of law, rather than by being directly expressed [C17: from Latin tacitus, past participle of tacēre to be silent] tacitly adv ˈtacitness n *[Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged][2] © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003* [1]: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacit [2]: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/_/misc/HarperCollinsProducts.aspx?English