nod

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   be almost asleep

   I sat nodding by the fireplace.

2. 2
   verb

   let the head fall forward through drowsiness

   I was nodding in my chair.

3. 3
   verb

   lower and raise the head, as to indicate assent or agreement or confirmation

   The teacher nodded when the student gave the right answer

4. 4
   verb

   express or signify by nodding

   I nodded my approval.

5. 5
   verb

   sway gently back and forth, as in a nodding motion

   the flowers were nodding in the breeze

6. 6
   verb

   To incline the head up and down, as to indicate agreement.

   ‘She has big breasts’, Chuck said. ‘Who? Patty? Oh yes.’ Hentman nodded. ‘Well, it’s that operation they give in Hollywood and New York. It’s more the rage now than the dilation, and she’s had that done, too.’

7. 7
   verb

   To sway, move up and down.

   By every wind that nods the mountain pine.

8. 8
   verb

   To signify by a nod.

   They nodded their assent.

Etymology

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”).