beckon

English

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.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛkən/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• 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.
   • 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. , London: Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC:

     His distant friends, he beckons near.

   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     It beckons you to go away with it.

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

Translations

Noun

beckon (plural beckons)

1. A sign made without words; a beck.
   • c. 1734, Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, A Dissertation on Parties:

     At the first beckon.

   • 2020, Abi Daré, The Girl With The Louding Voice, Sceptre, page 110:

     He turn to me, make a beckon with the key in his hand.

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.