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beckon

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The meaning of beckon is to call over silently or with a gesture.

(verb)

An example of beckon is the ocean calling to a surfer.
Motioning with a nod for a friend to join you is an example of to beckon.

The definition of beckon is the gesture used to call someone over.

(noun)

The wave a mother gives her child to come over to her is an example of a beckon.

See beckon in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb, transitive verb

to call or summon by a silent gesture
to seem enticing (to); attract; lure: the woods beckon

Origin: ME beknen < OE beacnian, becnian; akin to OS boknian, OHG bouhnen < Gmc *bauhnan < *baukna, beacon

noun

a summoning gesture

See beckon in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb beck·oned, beck·on·ing, beck·ons

verb, transitive

To signal or summon, as by nodding or waving.
To attract because of an inviting or enticing appearance: “a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City” (L. Frank Baum).

verb, intransitive

To make a signaling or summoning gesture.
To be inviting or enticing.

noun

A gesture of summons.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English bekenen

Origin: , from Old English bīecnan, bēcnan; see bhā-¹ in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

beckˈon·er noun

beckˈon·ing·ly adverb

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