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beckon

 - 3 dictionary results

beck⋅on

  [bek-uhn]
Use beckon in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1. to signal, summon, or direct by a gesture of the head or hand.
2. to lure; entice.
–noun
3. a nod, gesture, etc., that signals, directs, summons, indicates agreement, or the like.
Origin:
bef. 950; ME beknen, OE gebē(a)cnian, deriv. of bēacen beacon

Related forms:
beck⋅on⋅er, noun
beck⋅on⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. motion, wave, gesture, bid, nod. 2. invite, attract, draw, coax, tempt, tantalize, allure, beguile.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To beckon
beck·on   (běk'ən)   
v.   beck·oned, beck·on·ing, beck·ons

v.   tr.

  1. To signal or summon, as by nodding or waving.

  2. To attract because of an inviting or enticing appearance: "a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City" (L. Frank Baum).

v.   intr.

  1. To make a signaling or summoning gesture.

  2. To be inviting or enticing.

n.  A gesture of summons.

[Middle English bekenen, from Old English bīecnan, bēcnan; see bhā-1 in Indo-European roots.]
beck'on·er n., beck'on·ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

beckon 
O.E. gebecnian "to make a mute sign," derivative of beacen "a sign, beacon," from P.Gmc. *bauknjan (cf. O.H.G. bouhnen).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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