- beckon
- \ \ see BEACON
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
beckon
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Beckon — Beck on, n. A sign made without words; a beck. At the first beckon. Bolingbroke. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
beckon — [bek′ən] vi., vt. [ME beknen < OE beacnian, becnian; akin to OS boknian, OHG bouhnen < Gmc * bauhnan < * baukna,BEACON] 1. to call or summon by a silent gesture 2. to seem enticing (to); attract; lure [the woods beckon] n. a summoning… … English World dictionary
Beckon — Beck on, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Beckoned} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Beckoning}.] To make a significant sign to; hence, to summon, as by a motion of the hand. [1913 Webster] His distant friends, he beckons near. Dryden. [1913 Webster] It beckons you to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
beckon — index call (summon), entrap, request, subpoena, summon Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
beckon — (v.) O.E. gebecnian (W. Saxon beacnian) to make a mute sign, derivative of beacen a sign, beacon, from P.Gmc. *bauknjan (Cf. O.S. boknian, O.H.G. bouhnen), from PIE root *bha to shine (see BEACON (Cf. beacon)). Related: Beckoned; … Etymology dictionary
beckon — [v] call, signal, or lure allure, ask, attract, bid, coax, command, demand, draw, entice, gesticulate, gesture, invite, motion, nod, pull, sign, summon, tempt, wave; concepts 7,22,53,74 … New thesaurus
beckon — ► VERB 1) make a gesture to encourage or instruct someone to approach or follow. 2) seem appealing or inviting: the wide open spaces of Australia beckoned. ORIGIN Old English, related to BEACON(Cf. ↑beacon) … English terms dictionary
beckon — beck|on [ˈbekən] v [: Old English; Origin: biecnan, from beacen; BEACON] 1.) [I and T] to make a signal to someone with your hand, to show that you want them to come towards you or to follow you ▪ I could see my husband beckoning me. beckon (to)… … Dictionary of contemporary English
beckon — [[t]be̱kən[/t]] beckons, beckoning, beckoned 1) VERB If you beckon to someone, you signal to them to come to you. [V to n] He beckoned to the waiter... [V n adv/prep] I beckoned her over... [V n to inf] Hughes beckoned him to sit down on a sofa.… … English dictionary
beckon — UK [ˈbekən] / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms beckon : present tense I/you/we/they beckon he/she/it beckons present participle beckoning past tense beckoned past participle beckoned 1) to signal to someone to come towards you He… … English dictionary
beckon — verb (beckoned; beckoning) Etymology: Middle English beknen, from Old English bīecnan, from bēacen sign more at beacon Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to summon or signal typically with a wave or nod 2. to appear … New Collegiate Dictionary
