Beckon

Pronunciation: /ˈbɛkən/

Definitions of beckon

verb to make a gesture with the hand, arm, or head to encourage someone to come nearer or follow

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher beckoned the students to come to the front of the class.

A2 She beckoned her dog with a treat in her hand.

B1 The tour guide beckoned us to follow him through the museum.

B2 The lighthouse keeper beckoned the ships safely into the harbor.

C1 The politician beckoned the crowd to listen to his speech.

C2 The conductor beckoned the orchestra to start playing the symphony.

Examples of beckon in a Sentence

formal The hostess would beckon guests to their tables with a polite gesture.

informal I saw my friend beckon me over to join them at the party.

slang He beckoned me to come hang out with him later.

figurative The call of the ocean beckons sailors to adventure.

Grammatical Forms of beckon

• past tense: beckoned
• plural: beckons
• comparative: more beckoning
• superlative: most beckoning
• present tense: beckon
• future tense: will beckon
• perfect tense: have beckoned
• continuous tense: beckoning
• singular: beckons
• positive degree: beckon
• infinitive: to beckon
• gerund: beckoning
• participle: beckoning

Origin and Evolution of beckon

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'beckon' originated from Middle English 'bekenen' which came from Old English 'becnian' meaning 'to make a mute gesture, summon with a gesture'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'beckon' has evolved to signify a gesture or signal to come towards or follow, often using a hand or head motion.