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”).
Meanings
An instance of inclining the head up and down, as to indicate agreement, or as a cursory greeting.
A reference or allusion to something.
Much like Mirror Mirror, Huntsman appears to borrow liberally from other fantasy films. Sometimes the nods are clever—Stewart’s first night in the forest, among hallucinatory fog that gives the trees faces and clutching hands, evokes Disney’s animated Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs from 1937. 2012 May 31, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Review: Snow White And The Huntsman”, in AV Club:
Early into Zootopia 2, a character celebrates how easy it was to teach everyone to “set aside their differences and solve bias and prejudice forever”—a winking nod towards the mixed reception of the first film’s themes. 2025 November 25, Caroline Siede, “Zootopia 2 is a stagnant sequel with one stellar subplot”, in AV Club:
A nomination.
For the fifth time in her career she received a Grammy nod, she has yet to win the award.
Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Really putting a damper on the ol' Tony nod. 2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)
(figuratively) Approval.
The plan is expected to get the nod from councillors at the next meeting.
Has the BRB received a secret nod from the Ministry to continue the LMR electrification from Weaver Junction to Glasgow? 1964 August, “News and Comment: One main line to Scotland?”, in Modern Railways, page 86:
A state of half-consciousness; stupor.
Withered addicts drooped into chronic heroin nods. 1988 August 20, Wickie Stamps, “Voluptuous Nudes and Withered Addicts”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 6, page 7:
it cenno (instance of moving one's head) · grc νεῦμα (instance of moving one's head) · es venia (instance of moving one's head) · de Kopfnicken (instance of moving one's head) · fi nyökkäys (instance of moving one's head) · ar إِيمَاءَة (instance of moving one's head) · es sombrerazo (instance of moving one's head) · hu biccentés (instance of moving one's head) · cmn 點頭 /点头 (instance of moving one's head) · ca capcinada (instance of moving one's head) · fr signe de la tête (instance of moving one's head) · es ademán (instance of moving one's head) · eo kapjeso (instance of moving one's head) · mk климање (instance of moving one's head) · mi tungou (instance of moving one's head) · pt aceno (instance of moving one's head) · ca capejada (instance of moving one's head) · ru киво́к (instance of moving one's head) · hu bólintás (instance of moving one's head) · gd gnogadh cinn (instance of moving one's head) · fr hochement (instance of moving one's head) · bg кимане (instance of moving one's head) · es cabezada (instance of moving one's head) · la nūtus (instance of moving one's head) · ar هَزَّة (instance of moving one's head) · hu bólintani (instance of moving one's head) · no nikk (instance of moving one's head) · id anggukan (instance of moving one's head) · sv nick (instance of moving one's head) · nl knik (instance of moving one's head)
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”).
Meanings
(ambitransitive) 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.’ 1964, Philip K. Dick, “TWELVE”, in Clans of the Alphane Moon, United States: Ace Books, →OCLC; republished London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1996, →ISBN, page 173:
(ambitransitive) To briefly incline the head downwards as a cursory greeting.
(ambitransitive) To sway, move up and down.
Frail snowdrops that together cling / and nod their helmets, smitten by the wing / of many a furious whirl-blast sweeping by. 1819, William Wordsworth, On Seeing a Tuft of Snowdrops in a Storm:
By every wind that nods the mountain pine. 1818, John Keats, “Book I”, in Endymion: A Poetic Romance, London: […] T[homas] Miller, […] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 1:
(intransitive) To gradually fall asleep.
(transitive) To signify by a nod.
They nodded their assent.
(intransitive) To make a mistake by being temporarily inattentive or tired
Even Homer nods.
(intransitive, transitive) To head; to strike the ball with one's head.
With the hosts not able to find their passes - everything that went forward was too heavy or too short - Terry once again had to come to his side's rescue after Davies had brilliantly nodded into the path of Elmander, who followed up swiftly with a deflected shot. 2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC:
Jones nods the ball back to his goalkeeper.
(figuratively, intransitive) To allude to something.
Though the title nods to the Italian neo-realist classic Bicycle Thieves—and Cyril, much like the father and son in that movie, spends much of his time tracking down the oft-stolen possession—The Kid With A Bike isn’t about the bike as something essential to his livelihood, but as his sole connection to the freedom and play of childhood itself. March 15 2012, Soctt Tobias, The Kid With A Bike [Review]
(intransitive, slang) To fall asleep while under the influence of opiates.
sk kývať (incline the head up and down) · it appisolarsi (gradually fall asleep) · de nicken (incline the head up and down) · be кіўну́ць (incline the head up and down) · fr somnoler (gradually fall asleep) · la nūtō (incline the head up and down) · ru клева́ть но́сом (gradually fall asleep) · chr ᎠᎵᏍᎫᏍᎦ (incline the head up and down) · ja 頷く (incline the head up and down) · pt assentir (incline the head up and down) · fr hocher (incline the head up and down) · it accennare (incline the head up and down) · grc νεύω (incline the head up and down) · eo kapindiki (incline the head up and down) · cmn 點頭 /点头 (incline the head up and down) · nl knikkebollen (gradually fall asleep) · mk дреме (gradually fall asleep) · da nikke (incline the head up and down) · fi nyökäyttää (incline the head up and down) · be ківа́ць (incline the head up and down) · ro da din cap (incline the head up and down) · he הרכין (incline the head up and down) · ru дрема́ть (gradually fall asleep) · cs přikyvovat (incline the head up and down) · ru кивну́ть (incline the head up and down) · mi kānewha (gradually fall asleep) · ro dormita (gradually fall asleep) · eo ekdormadi (gradually fall asleep) · eo kapnei (incline the head up and down) · th พยัก (incline the head up and down) · ru задрема́ть (gradually fall asleep) · is að sofna (gradually fall asleep) · mk ки́мне (incline the head up and down) · fi nyökyttää (incline the head up and down) · pl kiwać (incline the head up and down) · fr dodeliner (gradually fall asleep) · ar أَوْمَأَ بِرَأْسِهِ (incline the head up and down) · is að kinka kolli (incline the head up and down) · sv nicka till (gradually fall asleep) · uk кива́ти (incline the head up and down) · eo dormeti (gradually fall asleep) · sh klimati (incline the head up and down) · mk кли́ма (incline the head up and down) · my ငိုက် (gradually fall asleep) · hu biccent (incline the head up and down) · de einnicken (gradually fall asleep) · mk задремува (gradually fall asleep) · mi tūngoungou (incline the head up and down) · ca pesar figues (gradually fall asleep) · ca assentir amb el cap (incline the head up and down) · gd crom (incline the head up and down) · hu bóbiskol (gradually fall asleep) · th โงก (gradually fall asleep) · sh климати (incline the head up and down) · ko 끄덕이다 (incline the head up and down) · vi gật (incline the head up and down) · ar أَوْمَأَ (incline the head up and down) · it cadere in catalessi (gradually fall asleep) · pt cabecear (gradually fall asleep) · no nikke (incline the head up and down) · pl kiwnąć (incline the head up and down) · bg задрямвам (gradually fall asleep) · fr dodeliner (incline the head up and down) · th พยักหน้า (incline the head up and down) · mkj mwasoa (incline the head up and down) · sk prikývnuť (incline the head up and down) · sh klimnuti (incline the head up and down) · svs betu (incline the head up and down) · it addormentarsi (gradually fall asleep) · vi gật đầu (incline the head up and down) · th สัปหงก (gradually fall asleep) · eo ekdormeti (gradually fall asleep) · es cabecear (incline the head up and down) · lt linktelėti (incline the head up and down) · mk ки́ма (incline the head up and down) · es cabecear (gradually fall asleep) · it scuotere (incline the head up and down) · fi nuokkua (gradually fall asleep) · sh климнути (incline the head up and down) · cs přikývnout (incline the head up and down) · hu igenel (incline the head up and down) · fr piquer du nez (gradually fall asleep) · pt acenar (incline the head up and down) · ca capcinejar (gradually fall asleep) · it annuire (incline the head up and down) · ca fer que sí amb el cap (incline the head up and down) · th งุบ (gradually fall asleep) · cs kývat (incline the head up and down) · bg климам (gradually fall asleep) · id mengangguk (incline the head up and down) · th ผงก (incline the head up and down) · eo kapjesi (incline the head up and down) · hu bólint (incline the head up and down) · nl knikken (incline the head up and down) · bg кимам (incline the head up and down) · tr kafa sallamak (incline the head up and down) · ru кива́ть (incline the head up and down) · la adnuō (incline the head up and down) · sl kimati (incline the head up and down) · uk кивну́ти (incline the head up and down) · ca capejar (incline the head up and down) · sv nicka (incline the head up and down) · es asentir con la cabeza (incline the head up and down) · mk кли́мне (incline the head up and down) · cs klímat (gradually fall asleep) · my ညိတ် (incline the head up and down) · nn nikka (incline the head up and down) · cmn 打盹 (gradually fall asleep) · mi tungou (incline the head up and down) · fi nyökätä (incline the head up and down)