# beck

/ˈbɛk/ (US) · /bˈɛk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/beck
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a signal or command

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a movement of the head or hand used to call someone over or give a command.

For teachers: a significant nod or gesture of the hand intended as a summons or command; almost exclusively used in the phrase 'at someone's beck and call'.

- As the boss's assistant, she had to be at his beck and call all day.
- The junior associates were expected to be at the senior partner's beck and call, regardless of the hour or the nature of the task.

### 2. a small stream

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Dialect

a small river or a stream.

For teachers: a small watercourse or stream, particularly one with a stony bed.

- The children spent the afternoon splashing in the shallow beck behind the farm.
- The hiking trail follows the course of a narrow beck that tumbles down from the fells into the valley below.

### 3. to signal with the head

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to give a signal by nodding or moving your head.

For teachers: to gesture or signal using a motion of the head.

- The old man becked to the boy to come closer and listen.
- In the dim light of the tavern, the stranger becked silently toward the corner table, indicating that we should join him.

## Examples

- She beckoned him to come over to her table.
- From across the crowded room, the host beckoned me with a small wave to join the conversation.
- The warm glow of the cabin lights beckoned the weary hikers through the thick fog, promising safety and rest after their long journey.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.