A sign that's confused bearing unknown proverb (6)
I believe the answer is:
saying
'proverb' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'a sign that's confused bearing unknown' is the wordplay.
'that's confused' indicates an anagram.
'bearing' indicates putting letters inside.
'unknown' becomes 'y' (algebra).
'a'+'sign'='asign'
'asign' with letters rearranged gives 'saing'.
'saing' placed around 'y' is 'SAYING'.
(Other definitions for saying that I've seen before include "Articulating" , "Saw" , "Epigram" , "Speaking; adage" , "Gnome" .)