beckon
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English bekenen, beknen, becnen, beknien, from Old English bēacnian, bēcnian, bīecnan (“to signal; beckon”), from Proto-West Germanic *bauknōn, *bauknijan (“to signal”), from *baukn (“signal; beacon”). Cognate with Old Saxon bōknian, Old High German bouhnen, Old Norse bákna. More at beacon.
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
beckon (third-person singular simple present beckons, present participle beckoning, simple past and past participle beckoned)
- (transitive, intransitive) To wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer.
- 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
- His distant friends, he beckons near.
- c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
- It beckons you to go away with it.
- (transitive, intransitive) To seem attractive and inviting
Translations edit
to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
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seem attractive and inviting
Noun edit
beckon (plural beckons)
- A sign made without words; a beck.
- c. 1734, Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, A Dissertation on Parties:
- At the first beckon.
- 2020, Abi Daré, The Girl With The Louding Voice, Sceptre, page 110:
- He turn to me, make a beckon with the key in his hand.
- A children's game similar to hide and seek in which children who have been "caught" may escape if they see another hider beckon to them.