beck

¹

[ bek ]

noun

1. a gesture used to signal, summon, or direct someone.
2. Chiefly Scot. a bow or curtsy of greeting.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Archaic. beckon.

beck

²

[ bek ]

noun

, North England.

1. a brook, especially a swiftly running stream with steep banks.

beck

³

[ bek ]

verb (used with object)

, Metalworking.

1. to form (a billet or the like) into a tire or hoop by rolling or hammering on a mandrel or anvil.

Beck

⁴

[ bek ]

noun

1. Dave, 1894–1993, U.S. labor leader: president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters 1952–57.

beck

¹

/ bɛk /

noun

1. (in N England) a stream, esp a swiftly flowing one

beck

²

/ bɛk /

noun

1. a nod, wave, or other gesture or signal
2. at someone's beck and call
   ready to obey someone's orders instantly; subject to someone's slightest whim

Word History and Origins

Origin of beck¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb bekken, bec, variant of beckenen, bek(e)nen beckon; noun derivative of the verb

Origin of beck²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bek, bec(k), from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse bekkr; akin to Old English bæc, bec, bece, Dutch beek, German Bach “brook”

Origin of beck³

First recorded in 1830–35 as beck-iron; verb use of the noun beck, shortening of beck-iron, a variant of bick-iron

Word History and Origins

Origin of beck¹

Old English becc , from Old Norse bekkr ; related to Old English bece , Old Saxon beki , Old High German bah brook, Sanskrit bhanga wave

Origin of beck²

C14: short for becnen to beckon

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at someone's beck and call, ready to do someone's bidding; subject to someone's slightest wish:

   He has three servants at his beck and call.

More idioms and phrases containing beck

see at someone's beck and call .

Example Sentences

But he worked closely with Tanton’s protégé Roy Beck and attended national gatherings of Tanton-affiliated groups.

From Salon

Kolankiewicz took a job with Roy Beck, the Tanton protégé and former Washington editor of The Social Contract, who went on to found a slightly less strident “immigration reform” organization called NumbersUSA.

From Salon

Kolankiewicz told me he and Beck hoped to resurface issues of overpopulation and distinguish the fight against mass immigration from prejudice against immigrants.

From Salon

John Tanton had said them, and the reasoning had been echoed by Leon Kolankiewicz and Roy Beck and NumbersUSA and Tanton’s other organizations.

From Salon

Beck began making regular visits to Langer’s Deli and Mama’s Tamales, which had windows on the park, and checked with owners Norm Langer and Sandi Romero on neighborhood developments, grievances and strategies.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• current
• flood
• flow
• rush
• spate
• surge
• tide
• torrent
• tributary