gesture
Etymology

From Medieval Latin gestūra, from Latin gerō, past participle gestus.

Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃə/
  • (America) IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɚ/, /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɝ/
Noun

gesture (plural gestures)

  1. A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.
    The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:
      Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, / In every gesture dignity and love.
  2. An act or a remark that serves as a formality or as a sign of attitude.
    We took flowers as a gesture of sympathy.
  3. (GUI) A motion made with a pointing device, or on a touchscreen, that is recognised by the system as a command.
    This Web browser can be controlled with mouse gestures.
  4. (obsolete) The manner of carrying the body; position of the body or limbs; posture.
    • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC ↗:
      Accubation, or lying down at meals, was a gesture used by very many nations.
Translations Translations Verb

gesture (gestures, present participle gesturing; simple past and past participle gestured)

  1. (intransitive) To make a gesture or gestures.
    My dad told me never to gesture with my hands when I talk.
    Never gesture at someone using your middle finger: it may be perceived as an insult.
  2. (transitive) To express (something) by a gesture or gestures.
    He gestured his disgust.
  3. (transitive) To accompany or illustrate with gesture or action.
    • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC ↗, (please specify the page):
      It is not orderly read, nor gestured as beseemeth.
  4. (transitive) To express or signal (to someone) by a gesture or gestures (to do something, go somewhere, etc).
    • 1915, Booth Tarkington, Wednesday Madness, in The Cosmopolitan, page 61:
      […] she sweepingly gestured him to the pillory — a chair upon the platform, facing the school. Here he suffered for the unusual term of an hour, with many jocular and cunning eyes constantly upon him; and, when he was released at noon, horrid shouts […] }}
Synonyms Translations Translations


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