head·shake

(hĕd′shāk′)

A turning of one's head to the right and left, signifying denial, disapproval, disbelief, doubt, or bewilderment.

head′shak′ing adj. & n.

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.

headshake

(ˈhɛdˌʃeɪk)

the gesture of shaking one's head

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

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

headshake - the act of turning your head left and right to signify denial or disbelief or bemusement; "I could tell from their headshakes that they didn't believe me"

headshaking

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"

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

I knew what she meant and I replied with a negative headshake.

View in context

Blessingbourne at this gave one of the slow soft silent headshakes to which she often resorted and which, mostly accompanied by the light of cheer, had somehow, in spite of the small obstinacy that smiled in them, a special grace.

View in context

A surface headshake here and a topwater wallow there go a long way to make any catch more memorable.

Fish That Jump

The truth of the matter is, I am saying: "Kids these days." But I'm following it up with a "Wow" instead of a headshake.

'Kids these days' can teach Baby Boomers something special

Other tense moments included his criticism of Germany's pursuit of a direct energy pipeline from Russia, which drew a dismissive headshake from a member of the US ally's delegation.

World leaders laugh as Trump boasts of might

The usual answer, when the question is posed, is a giggle and a headshake. But when the search for identity leads you to the precipice of blind faith, there is little choice but to prepare for a tumble.

Death in the time of cult suicide

Her subtle laugh, often accompanied by a headshake. Her house made of quilts.

MY GRANDMA: AN ODE TO PERSISTENCE, PURPOSE, INDEPENDENCE AND LOVE

Norman argues that the NUI or gesture-based interactivity of the iPad is neither new (he mentions the Theremin, patented in 1928, as one of several forerunner devices) nor as apodictic as its proponents claim ("Even the simple headshake is puzzling when cultures intermix" [6]).

Parental mediation, YouTube's networked public, and the "baby-iPad encounter": mobilizing digital dexterity

Those who are charged with writing the text are often doing a headshake or eye roll at the fact that they've had to wait for that.

Still exciting(?)

Headshake Pede-se ao paciente para fechar os olhos e inclinar sua cabeca para baixo 30[degrees] e em seguida oscila a cabeca 20 a 30 vezes na horizontal.

Prevalence of vestibulopathy in institutionalized elderly persons in natal-RN-Brazil/Prevalencia de vestibulopatia em idosos institucionalizados de natal--RN--Brasil

Those in claret and blue could only headshake their despondency at their team's woeful performance.

Super Walcott still the centre shows he is of attention; FA CUP FINAL 2015SM1 SM1 31.05.2015 SUNDAY MIRROR 77 ARSENAL 4 ASTON VILLA 0 Walcott 40, Sanchez 50 Mertesacker 62, Giroud 90

The headshake was fiercer this time and there were tears in his eyes.

Make more of your life? Soon many kids won't get the chance