gesture

ges·ture  (jschr)

n.

1. A motion of the limbs or body made to express or help express thought or to emphasize speech.

2. The act of moving the limbs or body as an expression of thought or emphasis.

3. An act or a remark made as a formality or as a sign of intention or attitude: sent flowers as a gesture of sympathy.

v. ges·tured, ges·tur·ing, ges·tures

v.intr.

To make gestures.

v.tr.

To show, express, or direct by gestures.

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[Middle English, from Medieval Latin gestra, bearing, from Latin gestus, past participle of gerere, to behave.]

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gestur·al adj.

gestur·al·ly adv.

gestur·er n.

Synonyms: gesture, gesticulation, sign, signal
These nouns denote an expressive, meaningful bodily motion: a gesture of approval; frantic gesticulations to get help; made a sign for silence; gave the signal to advance.

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gesture

Noun

1. a movement of the hands, head, or body to express or emphasize an idea or emotion

2. something said or done to indicate intention, or as a formality: a gesture of goodwill

Verb

[-turing, -tured]

to make expressive movements with the hands and arms [Latin gestus]

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Gesture

chironomy, cheironomy

1. the science of gesture.
2. the art of conducting singers of Gregorian chant through hand gestures to mark the rise or fall of the melody. — chironomic, cheironomic, adj.

dactylology

the science of manual sign language, as for use in communicating with the deaf. — dactylotogist, n. — dactylologic, dactylological, adj.

kinemics

Linguistics. the study of units of gestural expression.

kinesics

Linguistics. a systematic study of nonverbal body gestures, as smiles, hand motions, or other movements, in their relation to human communication; body language. Also called pasimology. — kinesic, adj.

pasimology

kinesics.

pathognomy

the study of the signs that reveal human passions. — pathognomonic, adj.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	gesture - motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling movement, motility, motion, move - a change of position that does not entail a change of location; "the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise"; "movement is a sign of life"; "an impatient move of his hand"; "gastrointestinal motility" jab, jabbing, poking, thrusting, poke, thrust - a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow); "he warned me with a jab with his finger"; "he made a thrusting motion with his fist" mudra - ritual hand movement in Hindu religious dancing
	2.	gesture - the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals motion visual communication - communication that relies on vision sign - a gesture that is part of a sign language gesticulation - a deliberate and vigorous gesture or motion beck - a beckoning gesture facial expression, facial gesture - a gesture executed with the facial muscles flourish - a showy gesture; "she entered with a great flourish" high-five - a gesture of greeting or elation; one person's upraised palm slaps the upraised palm of another person previous question - a motion calling for an immediate vote on the main question under discussion by a deliberative assembly shrug - a gesture involving the shoulders wafture, waving, wave - the act of signaling by a movement of the hand V sign - a sign (for victory); making a V with the index and middle fingers nod - a sign of assent or salutation or command bowing, obeisance, bow - bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting sign of the cross - a gesture with the right hand moving to form a cross; used by Catholics as a profession of faith curtsey, curtsy - bending the knees; a gesture of respect made by women
	3.	gesture - something done as an indication of intention; "a political gesture"; "a gesture of defiance" beau geste - a gracious (but usually meaningless) gesture indicant, indication - something that serves to indicate or suggest; "an indication of foul play"; "indications of strain"; "symptoms are the prime indicants of disease"
Verb	1.	gesture - show, express or direct through movement; "He gestured his desire to leave" gesticulate, motion wink - signal by winking; "She winked at him" exsert, hold out, stretch forth, stretch out, put out, extend - thrust or extend out; "He held out his hand"; "point a finger"; "extend a hand"; "the bee exserted its sting" shrug - raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation clap, spat - clap one's hands together; "The children were clapping to the music" communicate, intercommunicate - transmit thoughts or feelings; "He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist" applaud, acclaim, clap, spat - clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval bless, sign - make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate nod - express or signify by nodding; "He nodded his approval" cross oneself - make the sign of the cross; in the Catholic religion bow, bow down - bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head; "He bowed before the King"; "She bowed her head in shame" shake - shake (a body part) to communicate a greeting, feeling, or cognitive state; "shake one's head"; "She shook her finger at the naughty students"; "The old enemies shook hands"; "Don't shake your fist at me!" beckon, wave - signal with the hands or nod; "She waved to her friends"; "He waved his hand hospitably"

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gesture

noun 1. sign, action, signal, motion, indication, gesticulation

verb 2. signal, sign, wave, indicate, motion, beckon, gesticulate

Translations

gesture [ˈdʒɛstjəʳ] n → gesto;

as a gesture of friendship → en señal de amistad

gesture [ˈdʒɛstjəʳ] n → geste m;

as a gesture of friendship → en témoignage d'amitié

gesture [ˈdʒɛstjəʳ] n → Geste f;

as a gesture of friendship → als Zeichen der Freundschaft

gesture [ˈdʒɛstjəʳ] n → gesto;

as a gesture of friendship → in segno d'amicizia

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gesture

n gesture [ˈdʒestʃə]

a movement of the head, hand etc to express an idea etc The speaker emphasized his words with violent gestures. gebare حَرَكَه، إيماءه жест gesto gestus; fagter die Gebärde χειρονομία gesto žest تکان دادن دست و سر ele geste תנועת יד शारीरिक संकेत, व्यवहार gesta, kretnja gesztus gerak-gerik látbragð; handahreyfingar gesto 身ぶり 몸짓 gestas, mostas žests gerak isyarat gebaar håndbevegelse, gestus gest gesto gest жест gesto kretnja gest gest, åtbörd การแสดงท่าทาง el kol hareketleri 姿勢，手勢 жест; рух جسم یا اعضا کا معنی خیز اشارہ cử chỉ 姿势

v

to make a gesture or gestures He gestured to her to keep quiet. aandui يومئُ правя знак dát znamení, ukázat gøre tegn Gebärden machen χειρονομώ hacer un gesto/gestos, hacer una señal/señales žestikuleerima با ایما و اشاره بیان کردن viittoa faire signe à לעשות תנועות शारीरिक संकेत करना, व्यवहार करना gestikulirati gesztikulál, int membuat isyarat tjá e-ð með látbragði fare segno 身ぶりをする 몸짓을 하다 mostelėti, duoti ženklą žestikulēt membuat gerak isyarat: gebaren bruke håndbevegelser, gestikulere dać znak fazer sinal a gesticula, a face semn жестикулировать dať znamenie (na)migniti gestikulisati gestikulera, göra åtbörder แสดงท่าทาง el kol hareketleri yapmak 做手勢 жестикулювати ہاتھ یا جسم سے اشارہ کرنا ra hiệu 做手势