nod

Meaning

Verb

1. (ambitransitive) To incline the head up and down, as to indicate agreement.
2. (ambitransitive) To briefly incline the head downwards as a cursory greeting.
3. (ambitransitive) To sway, move up and down.
4. (intransitive) To gradually fall asleep.
5. (transitive) To signify by a nod.
6. (intransitive) To make a mistake by being temporarily inattentive or tired
7. (intransitive, transitive) To head; to strike the ball with one's head.
8. (figuratively, intransitive) To allude to something.
9. (intransitive, slang) To fall asleep while under the influence of opiates.

Noun

1. An instance of inclining the head up and down, as to indicate agreement, or as a cursory greeting.
2. A reference or allusion to something.
3. A nomination.
4. (figuratively) Approval.
5. A state of half-consciousness; stupor.

Synonyms

doze

shake

🫨

bow

🙇

rock

🪨

move

bob

beckon

drowse

nodding

agree

wink

😉

beck

greet

salaam

sign

salutation

sense

signal

sing

swing

tenor

vacillate

wave

👋

wobble

bow the head

drop asleep

bow one’s head

nod in assent

nod in sleep

nod sleepily

shake head

make a signal

such as a wink

suggest by a mute sign

meaning

shake body

acceptance

bend down

bend over

doze off

duck

🦆

fall asleep

greeting

👋

incline

inclining

nap

nutate

raise

rear

recognition

Translations

annuire

nicken

knikken

asentir

cabecear

inclinación

aceno

👋

hocher

ja knikken

capejar

Wink

👋

nutus

acenar

balancer

γνέψιμο

Pronounced as (IPA)

/nɒd/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: nodden

Inherited from Old English: *hnodian

Cognate with Old High German: hnotōn

Cognate with German: notteln

Cognate with Icelandic: hnjóða

In summary

From Middle English nodden, probably from an unrecorded Old English *hnodian (“to nod, shake the head”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnodōn, from Proto-Germanic *hnudōną (“to beat, rivet, pound, push”), from Proto-Indo-European *kendʰ-, from *ken- (“to scratch, scrape, rub”). Compare Old High German hnotōn (“to shake”), hnutten (“to shake, rattle, vibrate”) (> modern dialectal German notteln, nütteln (“to rock, move back and forth”)), Faroese njóða (“to clench a nail”), Icelandic hnjóða (“to rivet, clinch”), Faroese noða (“to double by bending”), Icelandic hnoða (“to clinch, rivet”).