GESTICULATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gesticulate mean? 

• GESTICULATE (verb)
  The verb GESTICULATE has 1 sense:

1. show, express or direct through movement

  Familiarity information: GESTICULATE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GESTICULATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gesticulate    ... he / she / it gesticulates   
Past simple: gesticulated   
Past participle: gesticulated   
-ing form: gesticulating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Show, express or direct through movement

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

gesticulate; gesture; motion

Context example:

He gestured his desire to leave

Hypernyms (to "gesticulate" is one way to...):

communicate; intercommunicate (transmit thoughts or feelings)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "gesticulate"):

wink (signal by winking)

exsert; extend; hold out; put out; stretch forth; stretch out (thrust or extend out)

shrug (raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation)

clap; spat (clap one's hands together)

acclaim; applaud; clap; spat (clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval)

bless; sign (make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate)

nod (express or signify by nodding)

cross oneself (make the sign of the cross; in the Catholic religion)

bow; bow down (bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head)

shake (shake (a body part) to communicate a greeting, feeling, or cognitive state)

beckon; wave (signal with the hands or nod)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s to somebody

Derivation:

gesticulation (a deliberate and vigorous gesture or motion)

gesture (motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling)

gesture (the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals)

 Context examples 

“I don't care who it is!” cried my aunt, still shaking her head and gesticulating anything but welcome from the bow-window.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"Oh, Beth, he's sent you..." began Amy, gesticulating with unseemly energy, but she got no further, for Jo quenched her by slamming down the window.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Now, the instant that the buzz of surprise and admiration caused by Jim’s face and figure had died away, Harrison was on his feet, gesticulating in his excitement.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Every one was moving, shouting, gesticulating.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

These men, who slaughtered English, gesticulated like lunatics, and fought one another's ideas with primitive anger, seemed somehow to be more alive than Mr. Morse and his crony, Mr. Butler.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Furious and gesticulating the Gascons, white and cold and sneering the English, while the prince with a half smile glanced from one party to the other, like a man who loved to dwell upon a fiery scene, and yet dreaded least the mischief go so far that he might find it beyond his control.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This was the shocking thing; that the slime of the pit seemed to utter cries and voices; that the amorphous dust gesticulated and sinned; that what was dead, and had no shape, should usurp the offices of life.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and pity.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They waved, gesticulated, screamed, and tripped up over those who had fallen.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The struggle is over! said Mr. Micawber violently gesticulating with his pocket-handkerchief, and fairly striking out from time to time with both arms, as if he were swimming under superhuman difficulties.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)