beckon

English

Etymology

From Middle English bekenen, beknen, becnen, beknien, from Old English bēacnian, bēcnian, bīecnan (“to signal; beckon”), from Proto-Germanic *bauknōną, *bauknijaną (“to signal”), from *baukną (“signal; beacon”). Cognate with Old Saxon bōknian, Old High German bouhnen, Old Norse bákna. More at beacon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛkən/
• Rhymes: -ɛkən

Verb

beckon (third-person singular simple present beckons, present participle beckoning, simple past and past participle beckoned)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer.
   • Dryden

     His distant friends, he beckons near.

   • Shakespeare

     It beckons you to go away with it.

2. (transitive, intransitive) To seem attractive and inviting

Translations

to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer

• Bulgarian: кимвам (kimvam), махвам (mahvam), повиквам с ръка (povikvam s rǎka)
• Dutch: wenken (nl)
• Finnish: viittoa (fi), viittilöidä
• French: faire signe (fr)
• German: heranwinken, herbeiwinken, winken (de), zuwinken (de)
• Hungarian: int (hu)
• Irish: bagair
• Italian: accennare (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: tungatunga, tawhi, pōhiri, pōwhiri, tāwhiri, pōwhiriwhiri, pōhirihiri
• Persian: اشارت کردن (ešârat kardan)
• Portuguese: acenar (pt)
• Russian: подзыва́ть (ru) (podzyvátʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: smèid
• Spanish: llamar con señas
• Swedish: vinka till sig

seem attractive and inviting

• German: einladen (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: atraer (es), llamar (es)

Noun

beckon (plural beckons)

1. A sign made without words; a beck.
   • Bolingbroke

     At the first beckon.

2. A children's game similar to hide and seek in which children who have been "caught" may escape if they see another hider beckon to them.