Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense nods, present participle nodding, past tense, past participle nodded
1. verb [no passive]
If you nod, you move your head downwards and upwards to show that you are answering 'yes' to a question, or to show agreement, understanding, or approval.
'Are you okay?' I asked. She nodded and smiled. [VERB]
David said nothing, but simply nodded, as if understanding perfectly. [VERB]
Jacques tasted one and nodded his approval. [VERB noun]
'Oh, yes,' she nodded. 'I understand you very well.' [VERB with quote]
Synonyms: agree, concur, assent, show agreement More Synonyms of nod
Nod is also a noun.
She gave a nod and said, 'I see'.
'Probably,' agreed Hunter, with a slow nod of his head.
He gave Sabrina a quick nod of acknowledgement.
2. verb [no passive]
If you nod in a particular direction, you bend your head once in that direction in order to indicate something or to givesomeone a signal.
'Does it work?' he asked, nodding at the piano. [VERB preposition]
She nodded towards the drawing room. 'He's in there.'. [VERB preposition]
He lifted the end of the canoe, nodding to me to take up mine. [VERB + to]
Synonyms: signal, indicate, motion, gesture More Synonyms of nod
3. verb [no passive]
If you nod, you bend your head once, as a way of saying hello or goodbye.
All the girls nodded and said 'Hi'. [VERB]
Tom nodded a greeting but didn't say anything. [VERB noun]
Both of them smiled and nodded at friends. [V + at/to]
They nodded goodnight to the security man. [VERB noun + to]
Synonyms: salute, acknowledge, nutate [rare] More Synonyms of nod
4. verb
In football, if a player nods the ball in a particular direction, they hit the ball there with their head.
[British, informal]
Taylor leapt up to nod the ball home. [VERB noun adverb/preposition]
He nodded in his twenty-third goal of the season. [VERB adverb]
5.
See give the nod/give sb the nod
6.
See on the nod
Phrasal verbs:
See nod off
More Synonyms of nod
nod in British English
(nɒd)
verbWord forms: nods, nodding or nodded
1.
to lower and raise (the head) briefly, as to indicate agreement, invitation, etc
2. (transitive)
to express or indicate by nodding
she nodded approval
3. (transitive)
to bring or direct by nodding
she nodded me towards the manager's office
4. (intransitive)
(of flowers, trees, etc) to sway or bend forwards and back
5. (intransitive)
to let the head fall forward through drowsiness; be almost asleep
the old lady sat nodding by the fire
6. (intransitive)
to be momentarily inattentive or careless
even Homer sometimes nods
7. nodding acquaintance
noun
8.
a quick down-and-up movement of the head, as in assent, command, etc
she greeted him with a nod
9.
nomination or selection
an Oscar nod
10.
a short sleep; nap
See also land of Nod
11.
a swaying motion, as of flowers, etc, in the wind
12. on the nod
13. the nod
Derived forms
nodding (ˈnodding)
adjective, noun
Word origin
C14 nodde, of obscure origin
nod in American English
(nɑd)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈnodded or ˈnodding
1.
to bend the head forward slightly and raise it again quickly, as a sign of greeting, command, acknowledgment, invitation, or, specif., of agreement or assent
2.
to let the head fall forward involuntarily because of drowsiness; be very sleepy
3.
to be inattentive or careless; make a slip
4.
to sway back and forth or up and down, or to hang down, as the tops of trees, flowers, plumes, etc.
5. Slang
to be under the influence of a drug, as heroin
verb transitive
6.
to bend (the head) forward slightly and raise it again quickly
7.
to signify (assent, approval, agreement, etc.) by doing this
8.
to invite or dismiss by a nod
noun
9.
a nodding, as of the head, treetops, etc.
10.
a sign of affirmation, assent, favorable decision, etc.
to give or get the nod
11. see Land of Nod
Idioms:
nod off
nod out
Derived forms
nodder (ˈnodder)
noun
Word origin
ME nodden, prob. in basic sense “to shake the head,” akin to Ger notten, to move about, OHG hnotōn, to shake, OE hnossian, to knock < IE *kneudh < base *ken-, to scratch, scrape > nip1
More idioms containing
nod
get the nod
give someone the nod
a nod and a wink
on the nod
Examples of 'nod' in a sentence
nod
It is troubling that she looks likely to give it the nod anyway.
The Sun (2016)
It is also a nod to the direction in which he intends to take the England team.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Sounds pretty dull but this is what it would mean if Mrs May gives it the nod.
The Sun (2017)
He has been riding out and schooling but needs to be given the nod by the sport's doctors before he can return to the track.
The Sun (2016)
He made sure he made a ritual nod in her direction as he launched his leadership campaign.
The Sun (2007)
Or does he just give a nod to simple math and select him?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They are jealous men tend to nod off quicker and sleep more soundly.
The Sun (2010)
Only after he nods his approval are both glasses filled.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
So the movements that it makes and the signals that it gives are often nodding andwinking within that language system.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The social worker nods in agreement.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She rocked and nodded her agreement.
Travers, P L What the Bee Knows - reflections on myth, symbol and story (1989)
Bale did not smile, he just nodded in polite acknowledgment.
The Sun (2016)
Heads nod in acknowledgement as individuals recall times when this was their experience, too.
Christianity Today (2000)
It's only a subtle thing but a nice little nod.
The Sun (2010)
We nodded in unspoken understanding.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She nods in my direction.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
F nods in seeming understanding and announces that he's really learning with me.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And expect a huge name to get the nod to host the awards on February 14 next year.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
nod
British English: nod /nɒd/ VERB
If you nod, you move your head downwards and upwards to show that you are answering 'yes' to a question, or to show agreement, understanding, or approval.
`Are you okay?' I asked. She nodded and smiled.
He tasted it and nodded his approval.
American English: nod
Arabic: يُومِئُ بِرَأسِهِ
Brazilian Portuguese: acenar com a cabeça
Chinese: 点头
Croatian: kimnuti
Czech: přikývnout na souhlas
Danish: nikke
Dutch: knikken
European Spanish: asentir con la cabeza
Finnish: nyökätä
French: hocher
German: nicken
Greek: γνέφω
Italian: annuire
Japanese: うなずく
Korean: 머리를 끄덕이다
Norwegian: nikke
Polish: ukłonić się
European Portuguese: acenar com a cabeça
Romanian: a da din cap aprobator
Russian: кивать
Latin American Spanish: asentir con la cabeza
Swedish: nicka
Thai: พยักหน้า
Turkish: başıyla onaylamak
Ukrainian: кивати
Vietnamese: gật đầu
Chinese translation of 'nod'
nod
(nɔd)
vi
(to show agreement) 点(點)头(頭) (diǎntóu)
(as greeting) 点(點)头(頭)打招呼 (diǎntóu dǎ zhāohu)
(= indicating sth/sb) 点(點)头(頭)示意 (diǎntóu shìyì)
vt
to nod one's head (to show agreement) 点(點)头(頭)表示同意 (diǎntóu biǎoshì tóngyì) (as greeting) 点(點)头(頭)招呼 (diǎntóu zhāohu) (indicating sth/sb) 点(點)头(頭)示意 (diǎntóu shìyì)
n(c)
(to show agreement) 点(點)头(頭)同意 (diǎntóu tóngyì)
(as greeting) 点(點)头(頭)打招呼 (diǎntóu dǎ zhāohu)
(indicating sth/sb) 点(點)头(頭)示意 (diǎntóu shìyì)
to nod to sb (as greeting) 对(對)某人点(點)头(頭)打招呼 (duì mǒurén diǎntóu dǎ zhāohu)
to nod the ball into the net/over the line (Brit, inf) 把球顶(頂)入网(網)/顶(頂)过(過)线(線) (bǎ qiú dǐngrù wǎng/dǐngguò xiàn)
to give a nod (to show agreement) 点(點)头(頭)同意 (diǎntóu tóngyì) (as greeting) 点(點)头(頭)打招呼 (diǎntóu dǎ zhāohu)
All related terms of 'nod'
nod off
nod off to sleep 打瞌睡 dǎ kēshuì
to give a nod
( to show agreement ) 点(點)头(頭)同意 diǎntóu tóngyì
to nod to sb
( as greeting ) 对(對)某人点(點)头(頭)打招呼 duì mǒurén diǎntóu dǎ zhāohu
to nod one's head
( to show agreement ) 点(點)头(頭)表示同意 diǎntóu biǎoshì tóngyì