Standard Lemma guide

beckon

noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈbɛkən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛkən
  • CMU ARPABET: B EH1 K AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sign made without words; a beck.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To seem attractive and inviting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

signal with the hands or nod

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She waved to her friends
  • He waved his hand hospitably

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wave

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gesticulate, gesture, motion

6

verb

Meaning 6

summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: summon

7

verb

Meaning 7

appear inviting

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The shop window decorations beckoned

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: attract, appeal

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

61 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أَشَارَ (ʔašāra) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Arabic: أَوْمَأَ (ʔawmaʔa) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Azerbaijani: əlləmək — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Azerbaijani: əl eləmək — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Bulgarian: кимвам (kimvam) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Bulgarian: махвам (mahvam) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Bulgarian: повиквам с ръка (povikvam s rǎka) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Czech: pokynout — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Czech: kývnout — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Czech: pokývnout — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Czech: dát znamení — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Dutch: wenken — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Esperanto: mansigni — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Esperanto: algesti — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Finnish: viittoa — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Finnish: viittilöidä — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • French: faire signe — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • German: heranwinken — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • German: herbeiwinken — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • German: winken — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • German: zuwinken — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Gothic: 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Greek: γνέφω (gnéfo) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Ancient Greek: ἀποσημαίνω (aposēmaínō) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Hungarian: int — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Irish: bagair — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Italian: accennare — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: tungatunga — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: tawhi — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: pōhiri — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: pōwhiri — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: tāwhiri — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: pōwhiriwhiri — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: pōhirihiri — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: hūkari — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Māori: hūkarikari — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Middle English: bekenen — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Persian: اشارت کردن (ešârat kardan) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Portuguese: acenar — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Russian: подзыва́ть (podzyvátʹ) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Scottish Gaelic: smèid — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Sicilian: singalijari — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Sicilian: fari scamòviri — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Spanish: llamar con señas — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Spanish: hacer ademanes para que se acerque — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Spanish: deseñar — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Spanish: hacer gestos para que venga — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Swedish: vinka till sig — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Turkish: el etmek — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Ukrainian: мани́ти (manýty) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Ukrainian: кива́ти (kyváty) — to wave or nod to somebody with the intention to make the person come closer
  • Czech: lákat — seem attractive and inviting
  • Czech: vábit — seem attractive and inviting
  • Czech: zvát — seem attractive and inviting
  • Esperanto: logi — seem attractive and inviting
  • German: einladen — seem attractive and inviting
  • Portuguese: atrair — seem attractive and inviting
  • Sicilian: fari aḍḍicari — seem attractive and inviting
  • Sicilian: nnùciri — seem attractive and inviting
  • Swedish: locka — seem attractive and inviting
  • Swedish: hägra — seem attractive and inviting