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beckon

[ bek-uhn ]
/ ˈbɛk ən /
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See synonyms for: beckon / beckoned / beckoning on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with or without object)
to signal, summon, or direct by a gesture of the head or hand.
to lure; entice.
noun
a nod, gesture, etc., that signals, directs, summons, indicates agreement, or the like.
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Origin of beckon

before 950; Middle English beknen,Old English gebē(a)cnian, derivative of bēacenbeacon

OTHER WORDS FROM beckon

beck·on·er, nounbeck·on·ing·ly, adverbun·beck·oned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to beckon

attract, entice, invite, tempt, allure, ask, bid, coax, command, demand, draw, gesticulate, gesture, motion, nod, pull, sign, summon, wave

How to use beckon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for beckon

beckon
/ (ˈbɛkən) /
verb
to summon with a gesture of the hand or head
to entice or lure
noun
a summoning gesture

Derived forms of beckon

beckoner, nounbeckoning, adjective, noun

Word Origin for beckon

Old English bīecnan, from bēacen sign; related to Old Saxon bōknian; see beacon
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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