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beckon

American  
[bek-uhn] / ˈbɛk ən /

verb (used with or without object)

  1. to signal, summon, or direct by a gesture of the head or hand.

    Synonyms:
    nod, bid, gesture, wave, motion

  2. to lure; entice.

    Synonyms:
    beguile, allure, tantalize, tempt, coax, draw, attract, invite

noun

  1. a nod, gesture, etc., that signals, directs, summons, indicates agreement, or the like.

beckon British  
/ ˈbɛkən /

verb

  1. to summon with a gesture of the hand or head

  2. to entice or lure

"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

noun

  1. a summoning gesture

"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

Other Word Forms

  • beckoner noun
  • beckoning adjective
  • beckoningly adverb
  • unbeckoned adjective

Etymology

Origin of beckon

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.