gesture

gesture

a movement of the hand, arm, body, head, or face that expresses a thought, opinion, or emotion: a threatening gesture; any action or communication used to express an idea or feeling: a loving gesture

Not to be confused with:

jester – one who makes jokes and funny moves; a professional clown: the court jester

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

ges·ture

 (jĕs′chər)

n.

1.

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

b. The action of making such a motion or motions: communicated solely by gesture.

2. 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: gestured her disapproval.

---

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin gestūra, bearing, from Latin gestus, past participle of gerere, to carry, carry on, act.]

---

ges′tur·al adj.

ges′tur·al·ly adv.

ges′tur·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.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gesture

(ˈdʒɛstʃə)

n

1. a motion of the hands, head, or body to emphasize an idea or emotion, esp while speaking

2. something said or done as a formality or as an indication of intention: a political gesture.

3. obsolete the manner in which a person bears himself; posture

vb

to express by or make gestures; gesticulate

[C15: from Medieval Latin gestūra bearing, from Latin gestus, past participle of gerere to bear]

ˈgestural adj

ˈgesturer n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ges•ture

(ˈdʒɛs tʃər)

n., v. -tured, -tur•ing. n.

1. a movement or position of the hand, arm, body, head, or face that is expressive of an idea, opinion, emotion, etc.: a threatening gesture.

2. the use of such movements to express thought, emotion, etc.

3. any action, communication, etc., intended for effect or as a formality; considered expression; demonstration: a gesture of friendship.

v.i.

4. to make or use a gesture or gestures.

v.t.

5. to express by a gesture or gestures.

[1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin gestūra mode of action, manner, bearing = Latin gest(us), past participle of gerere to bear, carry on, perform + -ūra -ure]

ges′tur•al, adj.

ges′tur•er, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

gesture

Past participle: gestured
Gerund: gesturing

Imperative

gesture

gesture

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

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"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

gesture

noun

1. sign, action, signal, motion, indication, gesticulation She made a menacing gesture with her fist.

2. demonstration, display, exhibition, expression, proof, illustration, testimony, manifestation He called on the government to make a gesture of goodwill.

verb

1. signal, sign, wave, indicate, motion, beckon, gesticulate I gestured towards the boathouse and he looked inside.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

gesture

noun

1. An expressive, meaningful bodily movement:

gesticulation, indication, motion, sign, signal.

Informal: high sign.

2. Something that takes the place of words in communicating a thought or feeling:

expression, indication, sign, token.

verb

To make bodily motions so as to convey an idea or complement speech:

gesticulate, motion, sign, signal, signalize.

Idiom: give the high sign.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

إيـْمَاءَةحَرَكَه، إيماءهيومئُ

gestoukázatdát znamení

gestusgøre tegnfagter

GesteGebärdeBewegung

χειρονομία

gestohacer un gestosademán

ele

gestefaire signe à

gesta

gesztus

látbragî; handahreyfingartjá e-î meî látbragîi

gestogesto simbolicoatto di buona volont...esprimere a gestigesticolare

身振り

몸짓

duoti ženklągestasmostas

žestikulētžests

gebaar

bruke håndbevegelsergestgestushåndbevegelse

gest

gesto

жестжестикулироватьпоступоктелодвижение

gestogestikulovať

kretnjapoteza

gest

ท่าทาง

el kol hareketleriel kol hareketleri yapmakjest

cử chỉ

做手势姿势姿态手势

gesture

[ˈdʒestʃəʳ]

A. N

1. (lit) → ademán m, gesto m

2. (fig) → demostración f; (= small token) → muestra f, detalle m
what a nice gesture! → ¡qué gesto or detalle más agradable!
as a gesture of friendship → en señal de amistad
as a gesture of support → para demostrar nuestro apoyo
empty gesture → pura formalidad f

B. VI → hacer gestos
he gestured towards the door → señaló or apuntó hacia la puerta
to gesture to sb to do sth → indicar a algn con la mano que haga algo

C. VT → expresar con un ademán

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

gesture

[ˈdʒɛstʃə^r]

n

(= movement) → geste m
to make a gesture (lit) → faire un geste

(= symbolic action) → geste m
a symbolic gesture → un geste symbolique
as a gesture to sth [+ security] → par mesure de qch

(= sign) [goodwill, support] → signe m
as a gesture of friendship → en témoignage d'amitié
to do sth as a gesture of sth [support, defiance] → faire qch en signe de qch; [goodwill] → faire qch en gage de qch

vi → faire un geste

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

gesture

n (lit, fig) → Geste f; to make a gesture → eine Geste machen; a gesture of defiance/approval → eine herausfordernde/zustimmende Geste; as a gesture of support/goodwill → als Zeichen der Unterstützung/des guten Willens; his use of gesture → seine Gestik

vi → gestikulieren; to gesture at somebody/something → auf jdn/etw deuten; he gestured with his head toward(s) the safe → er deutete mit dem Kopf auf den Safe

vt to gesture somebody to do something → jdm bedeuten or zu verstehen geben, etw zu tun

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

gesture

[ˈdʒɛstʃəʳ]

1. n → gesto
as a gesture of friendship → in segno d'amicizia

2. vi he gestured towards the door → fece un gesto verso la porta
to gesture to sb to do sth → far segno a qn di fare qc

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

gesture

(ˈdʒestʃə) noun

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 gesto die Gebärde gestus; fagter χειρονομίαgesto 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 gebaarhåndbevegelse, gestusgest اشاره كول، لاس او پښې شورول 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，手势

verb

to make a gesture or gestures. He gestured to her to keep quiet. aandui يومئُ правя знак fazer sinal dát znamení, ukázat Gebärden machen gøre tegn χειρονομώ hacer un gesto/gestos, hacer una señal/señales žestikuleerima با ایما و اشاره بیان کردن viittoilla 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 몸짓으로 나타내다 mostelėti, duoti ženklą žestikulēt membuat gerak isyarat: gebarenbruke håndbevegelser, gestikulere dać znak په اشاره سرګندول 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

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

gesture

→ إيـْمَاءَة gesto gestus Geste χειρονομία gesto ele geste gesta gesto 身振り 몸짓 gebaar gest gest gesto жест gest ท่าทาง jest cử chỉ 姿态

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

ges·ture

n. gesto, ademán.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012