different between gesture vs dumbness

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin gestura (“a mode of action”), from Latin gerere (“to bear, reflexive bear oneself, behave, act”), past participle gestus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d??est???/, /?d??s.t??(?)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d??s.t??/, /?d??s.t??/

Noun

gesture (plural gestures)

1. A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.

   The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.

   This Web browser can be controlled with mouse gestures.
2. An act or a remark made as a formality or as a sign of attitude.

   We took flowers as a gesture of sympathy.
3. (obsolete) The manner of carrying the body; position of the body or limbs; posture.

Related terms

• countergesture
• gesticulate
• gesticulation
• gesticulative
• gestural
• gestureless
• gesturelike

Translations

Verb

gesture (third-person singular simple present gestures, present participle gesturing, simple past and past participle gestured)

1. (intransitive) To make a gesture or gestures.

   My dad said to never gesture with my hands when I talk.

   Never gesture at someone with a middle finger.

2. (transitive) To express something by a gesture or gestures.

   He gestured his disgust.

3. (transitive) To accompany or illustrate with gesture or action.
   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     It is not orderly read, nor gestured as beseemeth.

Synonyms

• ((intransitive) make a gesture): gesticulate

Hyponyms

• ((intransitive) make a gesture): beckon

Translations

See also

• Appendix:Gestures

Further reading

• gesture in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• gesture in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Alemannic German

Adjective

gesture

1. Alternative form of gesturm

Latin

Participle

gest?re

1. vocative masculine singular of gest?rus

English

Etymology

From Middle English dombenesse, from Old English dumbnes; equivalent to dumb +? -ness. Cognate with Old Frisian dumbnisse (“folly, dumbness”).

Noun

dumbness (usually uncountable, plural dumbnesses)

1. The state of being dumb or mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.
   • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, "Sissy's Job," [1]

     He was a deaf-mute. His dumbness did not seem to matter when we were boys.

2. Muteness, silence; abstention from speech.
   • 1611 Shakespeare, William [first known show: 15 May 1611; posthumous publication: 1623], Winter's Tale, Act 5, Scene 2:

     There was speech in their dumbness.

3. Show or gesture without words; pantomime; dumb-show.
   • 1623 Shakespeare, William [posthumous publication], Timon of Athens, Act 1, Scene 1:

     To the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret.

4. (informal) The quality of being stupid or foolish.

Related terms

• dumb
• dumb-show

Translations