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beck - What does it mean?

Definition of 'beck'

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . Cognate with low German bek or beck

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (Norfolk|Northern English dialect) A stream or small river.
  • * Drayton
    • The brooks, the becks , the rills.
    Synonyms
    * brook * burn * creek * stream

    Etymology 2

    A shortened form of (beckon), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A significant nod, or motion of the head or hand, especially as a call or command.
    • To be at the beck and call of someone.

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (archaic) To nod or motion with the head.
  • * Shakespeare
    • When gold and silver becks me to come on.
  • *{{quote-book|year=1896|author=Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr|title=Winter Evening Tales|chapter=|edition= citation
    • |passage="I'll buy so many acres of old Scotland and call them by the Lockerby's name; and I'll have nobles and great men come bowing and becking to David Lockerby as they do to Alexander Gordon. }}
  • *{{quote-book|year=1881|author=Various|title=The Best of the World's Classics, Vol. V (of X) - Great Britain and Ireland III|chapter=|edition= citation
    • |passage=The becking waiter, that with wreathed smiles, wont to spread for Samuel and Bozzy their "supper of the gods," has long since pocketed his last sixpence; and vanished, sixpence and all, like a ghost at cock-crowing. }}

    Etymology 3

    See back.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A vat.

    • Etymology 4

    Noun

    (en-noun)
    • (Spenser)

    Similar to 'beck'

    book, back, buck, bok, beak, busk, bock, bask, boak, bak, bowk, bek, bosk, bouk, bisk