intransitive verb
nod′ded, nod′ding- to bend the head forward slightly and raise it again quickly, as a sign of greeting, command, acknowledgment, invitation, or, specif., of agreement or assent
- to let the head fall forward involuntarily because of drowsiness; be very sleepy
- to be inattentive or careless; make a slip
- to sway back and forth or up and down, or to hang down, as the tops of trees
- Slang to be under the influence of a drug, as heroin
Origin of nod
Middle English nodden, probably in basic sense “to shake the head,” akin to German notten, to move about, Old High German hnot?n, to shake, Old English hnossian, to knock from Indo-European an unverified form kneudh from base an unverified form ken-, to scratch, scrape from source nip- to bend (the head) forward slightly and raise it again quickly
- to signify (assent, approval, agreement, etc.) by doing this
- to invite or dismiss by a nod
- a nodding, as of the head, treetops, etc.
- a sign of affirmation, assent, favorable decision, etc.: to give or get the nod
nod Idioms
nod off
to fall asleep, esp. when sitting up
nod out
Slang to become unconscious from the effects of a drug
