gesture

From Medieval Latin gestūra (“a mode of action”), from Latin gerō (“to bear; (reflexive) bear oneself, behave, act”), past participle gestus.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɚ/, /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɝ/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst͡ʃə(ɹ)

gesture (plural gestures)

1. A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.

   The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, / In every gesture dignity and love.

2. An act or a remark that serves as a formality or as a sign of attitude.

   We took flowers as a gesture of sympathy.

   • 1922, Michael Arlen, “2/4/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days‎:

     But, with a gesture, she put a period to this dalliance—one shouldn't palter so on an empty stomach, she might almost have said.

3. (graphical user interface) A motion made with a pointing device, or on a touchscreen, that is recognised by the system as a command.

   This Web browser can be controlled with mouse gestures.

4. (obsolete) The manner of carrying the body; position of the body or limbs; posture.
   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:

     Accubation, or lying down at meals, was a gesture used by very many nations.

• countergesture
• gesticulate
• gesticulation
• gesticulative
• gestural
• gestureless
• gesturelike
• gesturement
• gesture politics
• gesturer
• rhythmic gesture

gesture (third-person singular simple present gestures, present participle gesturing, simple past and past participle gestured)

1. (intransitive) To make a gesture or gestures.

   My dad told me never to gesture with my hands when I talk.

   Never gesture at someone using your middle finger: it may be perceived as an insult.

2. (transitive) To express something by a gesture or gestures.

   He gestured his disgust.

3. (transitive) To accompany or illustrate with gesture or action.
   • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

     It is not orderly read, nor gestured as beseemeth.

• ((intransitive) make a gesture): gesticulate

• ((intransitive) make a gesture): beckon

• Appendix:Gestures

• “gesture”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “gesture”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

gesture

1. Alternative form of gesturm

gestūre

1. vocative masculine singular of gestūrus