gesture
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning.
n.a physical motion of the limbs or body used to communicate or emphasize a thought or feeling.
Simple“He made a small gesture with his hand to show that he was finished.”
In context“The speaker used an expansive hand gesture to emphasize the scale of the project during the presentation.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something you do to show a particular feeling or intention, even if it doesn't change the situation much.
n.an action performed to convey a specific intention, attitude, or social formality.
Simple“Sending flowers was a kind gesture after they helped her move house.”
In context“The company's donation was seen as a symbolic gesture of goodwill toward the local community after the recent controversy.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a specific movement you make on a screen or with a mouse to tell a computer what to do.
n.a specific motion made on a touchscreen or with a pointing device that a system interprets as a command.
Simple“You can use a swiping gesture to delete emails on your phone.”
In context“The latest operating system update introduced several new multi-touch gestures to improve navigation between open applications.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move your hands or head to tell someone something or to show them where to go.
v.to use physical motions to communicate a message or to direct someone's attention.
Simple“The waiter gestured toward an empty table in the corner of the restaurant.”
In context“She gestured for him to remain silent while the recording was in progress.”
Usageoften followed by a preposition like 'to' or 'toward'
“He made a heart shaped gesture with his hands and waved to supporters before being led out of the court.”
“He gestured at one point, a waved arm that suggested he wasn't over-burdened with runners ahead of him.”
From Medieval Latin gestūra (“a mode of action”), from Latin gerō (“to bear; (reflexive) bear oneself, behave, act”), past participle gestus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.