verb (used without object), nod·ded, nod·ding.
- to make a slight, quick downward bending forward of the head, as in assent, greeting, or command.
- to let the head fall slightly forward with a sudden, involuntary movement when sleepy.
- to doze, especially in a sitting position: The speaker was so boring that half the audience was nodding.
- to become careless, inattentive, or listless; make an error or mistake through lack of attention.
- (of trees, flowers, plumes, etc.) to droop, bend, or incline with a swaying motion.
verb (used with object), nod·ded, nod·ding.
- to bend (the head) in a short, quick downward movement, as of assent or greeting.
- to express or signify by such a movement of the head: to nod approval; to nod agreement.
- to summon, bring, or send by a nod of the head.
- to cause (something) to lean or sway; incline.
noun
- a short, quick downward bending forward of the head, as in assent, greeting, or command or because of drowsiness.
- a brief period of sleep; nap.
- a bending or swaying movement.
Verb Phrases
- nod off, to fall asleep or doze, especially in a sitting position: He was reprimanded for nodding off in class.
- nod out, Slang. to fall asleep, especially owing to the effects of a drug.
Idioms
- give the nod to, Informal. to express approval of; agree to: The board gave the nod to the new proposal.
- on the nod,
- British Slang.on credit.
- Slang.drowsy following a dose of a narcotic drug.
verb nods, nodding or nodded
- to lower and raise (the head) briefly, as to indicate agreement, invitation, etc
- (tr) to express or indicate by noddingshe nodded approval
- (tr) to bring or direct by noddingshe nodded me towards the manager’s office
- (intr) (of flowers, trees, etc) to sway or bend forwards and back
- (intr) to let the head fall forward through drowsiness; be almost asleepthe old lady sat nodding by the fire
- (intr) to be momentarily inattentive or carelesseven Homer sometimes nods
- nodding acquaintance a slight, casual, or superficial knowledge (of a subject or a person)
noun
- a quick down-and-up movement of the head, as in assent, command, etcshe greeted him with a nod
- a short sleep; napSee also land of Nod
- a swaying motion, as of flowers, etc, in the wind
- on the nod informal
- agreed, as in a committee meeting, without any formal procedure
- (formerly) on credit
- the nod boxing informal the award of a contest to a competitor on the basis of points scored
n.mid-15c., from nod (v.). Land of Nod “sleep” is a pun on the biblical place name (Gen. iv:16). v.“to quickly bow the head,” late 14c., of unknown origin, probably an Old English word, but not recorded; perhaps related to Old High German hnoton “to shake,” from Proto-Germanic *khnudojanan. Meaning “to drift in and out of consciousness while on drugs” is attested from 1968. Related: Nodded; nodding. A nodding acquaintance (1711) is one you know just well enough to greet with a nod. In addition to the idiom beginning with nod
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