ENGLISH
REFERENCE

beck

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbɛk// UK //bˈɛk// beck Archaic

v. to signal to someone to come closer, usually with a movement of your hand or head.

v. to signal, summon, or lure someone using a physical gesture such as a nod or a wave of the hand.


SIMPLE

She beckoned him to come over to her table.

CONTEXTUAL

From across the crowded room, the host beckoned me with a small wave to join the conversation.

COMPLEX

The warm glow of the cabin lights beckoned the weary hikers through the thick fog, promising safety and rest after their long journey.

Origin

* As a German surname, from Beck (“stream, brook”), see also Old Norse bekkr. Also a spelling variant of Becker (“baker”). * As a Hebrew surname, shortened from בני (B'nei) קדושים (Kdoshim, “sons of the martyrs”).

Usage

The verb is transitive and typically takes a direct object representing the person being signaled.

Pitfall

she beckoned at meshe beckoned meBeckon is a transitive verb and does not require the preposition 'at' before the object.

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