Head Movements

Head Movements

 
  1. Bowed his head … as if wishing to fall at her feet —Leo Tolstoy
  2. Craned her head back and forth like a periscope, the way people do when they are searching for a taxi at rush hour in Manhattan —Daphne Merkin
  3. Cranes his neck like a swan —Anton Chekhov
  4. Drew his head into his shoulders like the bellows of an accordion —Paul Olsen
  5. Ducks his head, like a man someone has menaced and who has barely gotten out of the way —Richard Ford
  6. Gave a shake of his head, like a dazed boxer coming to —Peter De Vries
  7. Head, bobbing like a hollow ball —John Updike
  8. (She was looking at her husband) head cocked like a setter bitch (as if wondering, trying to remember who she had climbed into bed with this time) —James Crumley
  9. (The old man’s) head had lowered itself into his collar like a turtle’s —Flannery O’Connor
  10. Head moving like a prison search light —T. Glen Coughlin
  11. Heads … bent, like flowers following the sun or thrushes listening for snails —Frank Swinnerton
  12. Head sliding forward [while dozing] like an abandoned puppet —T. Alan Broughton
  13. (Little Nigel’s) head snaps round like a weathervane in a gale —John Le Carré
  14. Head spun like a lazy susan —Jay Parini
  15. Head thrust forward like a hungry hawk —Harold Adams
  16. Head tilted to one side like a bib bird sitting on a branch of a tree —Harvey Swados
  17. Head tilted to one side like a robin listening for worms —Jay Mclnerney
  18. Head turning quickly from side to side, like an animal’s —Eudora Welty
  19. Head wagging like a mechanical toy —F. van Wyck Mason
  20. Her head dropped like a soaked tea rose —Sharon Sheehe Stark
  21. His head droops like a sun-flower —S. J. Perelman
  22. His head hangs limp as a sock full of sand —Ira Wood
  23. His head moved to and fro like a foolish kitten’s after a swinging tangle of wool —Vicki Baum
  24. His head rolled about his shoulders like a balloon that wanted to break its string —James Lee Burke
  25. His head swung like a snake’s as he talked, scanning anyone who chanced to come near —Donald MacKenzie
  26. Holds up her head like a hen drinking —Scottish proverb
  27. Lifted his big head like a listening deer —Zane Grey
  28. Lifted up his head like a mouse sniffing the air —Isaac Babel
  29. Lowered her head like a slow-witted schoolgirl trying to collect her thoughts in an effort to understand the teacher’s question —Franz Werfel
  30. Lowered his head to pray, like a martyr who believed the kingdom of heaven was at hand —Z. Vance Wilson
  31. Made the convulsive movement of his head and neck, as if his tie were too tight —Leo Tolstoy

    See Also: NECK

  32. A man with a small head is like a pin without any, very apt to get into things beyond his depth —Josh Billings
  33. Nodded like a basking lizard —Derek Lambert
  34. Nodded … like a leaf —William Mcllvanney
  35. Nodded smartly —like a second lieutenant’s salute —Jonathan Valin
  36. Nodding his head like a pecking bird —Beryl Markham
  37. Nods his head like a sage old trial judge —Richard Ford
  38. Pulls back his head, like a turtle sensing danger —Rick Borsten
  39. Shaking her head as if to get rid of a fly —Ruth Suckow
  40. Shaking her head impatiently … as if in a futile attempt to ease the chafing of an invisible collar —Carolyn Kizer
  41. Shook his head like a wet retriever —Sharon Sheehe Stark
  42. Shook his head like an overburdened professor —Martin Cruz
  43. Shook my head back and forth like a silent, solid bell —Richard S. Prather
  44. Tossed her head with petulant violence, like a child who doesn’t want her snarls combed out —John Updike
  45. Turned her head … cocking it a little, like a pretty canary in a cage —Harvey Swados
  46. Turning his head from side to side as though his necktie were too tight (and when he did that he usually clutched at his throat) —Ivan Turgenev

    In a story entitled Knock … Knock … Knock … Turgenev used this simile to describe a character who always felt cramped in the world.

  47. Turns his head from side to side, like a turtle —Margaret Atwood
  48. Wagged their heads like a company of cockatoos —Katherine Mansfield
  49. Waved her head here and there like a piece of wind-worried old orange-peel —F. Scott Fitzgerald
  50. The way he moved his head from side to side made him seem like some sort of a little perky bird, a goldfinch, perhaps —Roald Dahl
  51. Withdrew his head like a scared tortoise —Donald MacKenzie