GESTURE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does gesture mean? 

• GESTURE (noun)
  The noun GESTURE has 3 senses:

1. motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

2. the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals

3. something done as an indication of intention

  Familiarity information: GESTURE used as a noun is uncommon.

• GESTURE (verb)
  The verb GESTURE has 1 sense:

1. show, express or direct through movement

  Familiarity information: GESTURE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GESTURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("gesture" is a kind of...):

motility; motion; move; movement (a change of position that does not entail a change of location)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gesture"):

mudra (ritual hand movement in Hindu religious dancing)

jab; jabbing; poke; poking; thrust; thrusting (a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow))

Derivation:

gesticulate; gesture (show, express or direct through movement)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

gesture; motion

Hypernyms ("gesture" is a kind of...):

visual communication (communication that relies on vision)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gesture"):

bow; bowing; obeisance (bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting)

curtsey; curtsy (bending the knees; a gesture of respect made by women)

sign of the cross (a gesture with the right hand moving to form a cross; used by Catholics as a profession of faith)

nod (a sign of assent or salutation or command)

V sign (a sign (for victory); making a V with the index and middle fingers)

wafture; wave; waving (the act of signaling by a movement of the hand)

shrug (a gesture involving the shoulders)

high-five (a gesture of greeting or elation; one person's upraised palm slaps the upraised palm of another person)

flourish (a showy gesture)

facial expression; facial gesture (a gesture executed with the facial muscles)

beck (a beckoning gesture)

gesticulation (a deliberate and vigorous gesture or motion)

sign (a gesture that is part of a sign language)

previous question (a motion calling for an immediate vote on the main question under discussion by a deliberative assembly)

Derivation:

gesticulate; gesture (show, express or direct through movement)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Something done as an indication of intention

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

a gesture of defiance

Hypernyms ("gesture" is a kind of...):

indicant; indication (something that serves to indicate or suggest)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gesture"):

beau geste (a gracious (but usually meaningless) gesture)

• GESTURE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gesture    ... he / she / it gestures   
Past simple: gestured   
Past participle: gestured   
-ing form: gesturing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Show, express or direct through movement

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

gesticulate; gesture; motion

Context example:

He gestured his desire to leave

Hypernyms (to "gesture" is one way to...):

communicate; intercommunicate (transmit thoughts or feelings)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "gesture"):

beckon; wave (signal with the hands or nod)

shake (shake (a body part) to communicate a greeting, feeling, or cognitive state)

bow; bow down (bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head)

cross oneself (make the sign of the cross; in the Catholic religion)

nod (express or signify by nodding)

bless; sign (make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate)

acclaim; applaud; clap; spat (clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval)

clap; spat (clap one's hands together)

shrug (raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation)

exsert; extend; hold out; put out; stretch forth; stretch out (thrust or extend out)

wink (signal by winking)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s to somebody

Derivation:

gesture (motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling)

gesture (the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals)

 Context examples 

She silenced him with an imperious gesture as he strove to speak.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Laurie backed precipitately into a corner, and put his hands behind him with an imploring gesture.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Van Helsing stepped out, and, obedient to his gesture, we all advanced too; the four of us ranged in a line before the door of the tomb.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Whether it was a lavish gift or a simple handwritten letter, it was the gesture that counted for you.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Through language—which includes sounds, gestures, and signs—we communicate our knowledge and beliefs.

(Brain Mapping of Language Impairments, NIH)

“But what other is there?” cried the banker with a gesture of despair.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Holmes turned on his heel with a gesture of disgust.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Several times I had observed that Milverton looked at his watch, and once he had risen and sat down again, with a gesture of impatience.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Come here!” said the man with the wooden leg, repeating the gesture.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

White Fang, listening to the wordy war and watching the angry gestures, knew that his act was justified.

(White Fang, by Jack London)