Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: biecnan, from beacen; BEACON

beckon

 verb
     
beck‧on
1 [intransitive and transitive] to make a signal to someone with your hand, to show that you want them to come towards you or to follow you:
I could see my husband beckoning me.
beckon (to) somebody to do something
She beckoned to the waitress to bring more wine.
beckon somebody forward/over etc
He beckoned us over and introduced us to his wife.
2 [intransitive and transitive] if something such as a place or opportunity beckons, it appears so attractive that you want to have it:
A career in the film industry beckoned.
3 [intransitive] if something beckons for someone, it will probably happen to them
beckon for
Early retirement beckoned for George.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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