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Definition of gesture verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

gesture

verb
 
/ˈdʒestʃə(r)/
 
/ˈdʒestʃər/
[intransitive, transitive]
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they gesture
 
/ˈdʒestʃə(r)/
 
/ˈdʒestʃər/
he / she / it gestures
 
/ˈdʒestʃəz/
 
/ˈdʒestʃərz/
past simple gestured
 
/ˈdʒestʃəd/
 
/ˈdʒestʃərd/
past participle gestured
 
/ˈdʒestʃəd/
 
/ˈdʒestʃərd/
-ing form gesturing
 
/ˈdʒestʃərɪŋ/
 
/ˈdʒestʃərɪŋ/
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  1. to move your hands, head, face, etc. as a way of expressing what you mean or want
    • + adv./prep. ‘I see you read a lot,’ he said, gesturing at the wall of books.
    • gesture to somebody (to do something) He gestured to the guards and they withdrew.
    • gesture for somebody to do something She gestured for them to come in.
    • gesture (to somebody) (that)… He gestured (to me) that it was time to go.
    • They gestured that I should follow.
    Extra Examples
    • He gestured around the room, lost for words.
    • He gestured vaguely towards the house.
    • Anne gestured at the rain that was falling outside.
    • Davis gestured to the waiter.
    • She gestured at him to step back.
    • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • vaguely
    • frantically
    • wildly
    preposition
    • at
    • about
    • around
    See full entry
    Word Originlate Middle English: from medieval Latin gestura, from Latin gerere ‘bear, wield, perform’. The original sense was ‘bearing, deportment’, hence ‘the use of posture and bodily movements for effect when speaking’.
See gesture in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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