Body Language & Gestures
People inside · 97 words
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Practise these 97 words
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The words
97 words
- avert your gazephrase · C1To deliberately look away.
- back awayphrase · B1To step backwards, usually from something unwelcome.
- beam/ˈbiːm/noun · B2A long thick timber or steel bar that bears weight.
- beckon/ˈbɛkən/verb · C1To signal somebody to come nearer.
- bite your lipphrase · B2To hold back what you were about to say.
- blow a kissphrase · B1To kiss your hand and send it towards somebody.
- blush/ˈblʌʃ/verb · B1+To go red in the face from embarrassment.
- bow/ˈbəʊ̯/verb · B1To draw a taut length of horsehair across strings.
- chuckle/ˈt͡ʃʌkəl/verb · B1+To laugh quietly to yourself.
- clap your handsphrase · A2To strike the palms together in praise.
- click your fingersphrase · B2To snap the fingers to make a sharp sound.
- composed/kəmˈpoʊzd/adjective · B2Fully in control of your feelings when others would panic.
- cover your mouthphrase · B1To put a hand over the lips in shock.
- cringe/ˈkɹɪnd͡ʒ/verb · B2+To pull back in embarrassment or distaste.
- cross your fingersphrase · B1To fold one finger over another for luck.
- cross your legsphrase · B1To rest one leg over the other while sitting.
- cup your earphrase · C1To hold a hand behind the ear to hear better.
- curtsyverb · C1To bend the knees in respect, as women once did.
- demeanournoun · C1The way a person carries and presents themselves.
- drum your fingersphrase · C1To tap the fingers in sequence, impatiently.
- eye contactnoun · B2Looking straight into someone's eyes while you talk.
- fidget/ˈfɪd͡ʒ.ɪt/verb · B2+To move restlessly because you cannot settle.
- fidgety/ˈfɪd͡ʒɪti/adjective · B2Unable to keep still.
- fist bumpnoun · B1A light knock of closed hands in greeting.
- flinch/ˈflɪnt͡ʃ/verb · B2To make a quick small movement away from something.
- fold your armsphrase · B1To cross the arms over the chest, often defensively.
- freeze/ˈfɹiːz/verb · B1To stop moving completely from shock.
- furrow your browphrase · C1To draw the forehead into lines in worry.
- gait/ɡeɪt/noun · C1The way a person walks.
- genuflect/ˈd͡ʒɛn.jʊ.flɛkt/verb · C2To touch one knee to the ground in reverence.
- gesticulate/dʒɛsˈtɪkjʊleɪt/verb · C1To wave the hands about while talking.
- gesture/ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃə/noun · B2A movement of hands or head that carries meaning without words.
- giggle/ˈɡɪɡl̩/verb · B1To laugh in a light silly childish way.
- give the cold shoulderphrase · C1To ignore somebody deliberately.
- glance awayphrase · B2To look aside quickly.
- grimace/ˈɡɹɪm.əs/verb · B2+To twist the face in pain or dislike.
- grin/ɡɹɪn/verb · B2To give a big wide happy smile showing your teeth.
- grit your teethphrase · B2To clench the jaw against pain or anger.
- guffaw/ɡəˈfɔː/verb · C1To laugh very loudly.
- gulp/ɡʌlp/verb · B2To swallow fast in big mouthfuls.
- handshake/ˈhæn(d)ˌʃeɪk/noun · B1Gripping and shaking hands on meeting or agreeing.
- high five/haɪ faɪv/noun · A2A slap of raised palms in celebration.
- hold your nosephrase · B1To pinch the nostrils shut against a smell.
- hug/hʌɡ/verb · A2To put your arms around someone and hold them close.
- jittery/ˈd͡ʒɪt.ɹi/adjective · B2+Nervous and shaky.
- kneel/niːl/verb · B2To go down and rest your weight on bent legs.
- lean inphrase · B2To move closer to hear or to show interest.
- mime/maɪm/verb · B2To act something out without speaking.
- nod/nɒd/verb · B2To move your head up and down to say yes without speaking.
- pale/peɪl/verb · C1To lose colour in the face from shock.
- pat on the backphrase · B2A light touch meaning well done.
- peck/pɛk/verb · B1To strike or pick at something with a beak.
- point/pɔɪnt/verb · A1To show where something is with one straight finger.
- poise/pɔɪz/noun · C1Graceful, controlled bearing.
- posture/ˈpɒst͡ʃə/noun · B2The way you hold your body when standing or sitting.
- purse your lipsphrase · C1To press the lips together in disapproval.
- raise an eyebrowphrase · B2To lift one brow in doubt or surprise.
- recoil/ɹɪˈkɔɪl/verb · C1To draw back suddenly in fear or disgust.
- relax/ɹɪˈlæks/verb · A1To let the body go loose and easy.
- restless/ˈɹɛstlɪs/adjective · B2Unable to relax or stay still.
- roll your eyesphrase · B2To turn the eyes upward to show contempt.
- rub your eyesphrase · B1To press the eyes with the hands from tiredness.
- salute/səˈl(j)uːt/verb · B1To raise the hand to the head as a formal greeting.
- scowl/skaʊl/verb · B2+To look at somebody with an angry frown.
- scratch your headphrase · B2To rub the scalp while puzzled.
- shake your headphrase · A2To move the head side to side to mean no.
- shrug/ˈʃɹʌɡ/verb · B2To lift your shoulders to show you do not know or do not care.
- shrug offphrase · B2To dismiss something as unimportant.
- shudder/ˈʃʌdə/verb · B2To shake suddenly with cold or horror.
- sigh/saɪ/verb · B2To let out a long deep breath of tiredness or relief.
- signal/ˈsɪɡnəl/noun · B1The invisible waves your phone needs bars of to work.
- slouch/ˈslaʊ̯t͡ʃ/verb · B2To sit or stand with a drooping back.
- slump/slʌmp/verb · B2To drop heavily into a seat or a posture.
- smirk/smɜːk/verb · B2To smile in a knowing, superior way.
- sniffle/ˈsnɪf.əl/verb · B2To breathe noisily through a blocked nose.
- snigger/ˈsnɪɡɚ/verb · C1To laugh quietly and unkindly.
- sob/sɒb/verb · B2To cry hard with gulping breaths.
- squirm/skwɜːm/verb · C1To wriggle about, usually from discomfort.
- stance/stæns/noun · B2How a person stands, and what it shows.
- stand to attentionphrase · B2To stand stiffly straight, as a soldier does.
- stare downphrase · C1To hold somebody's eyes until they look away.
- stiffen/ˈstɪfən/verb · C1To go rigid, usually from tension.
- straighten upphrase · B2To make your back upright.
- stretch/stɹɛt͡ʃ/verb · B1To slowly pull your arms and legs long before and after moving hard.
- tap your footphrase · B1To beat the floor lightly with impatience.
- tense/tɛns/adjective · B1Tight with nerves; unable to relax.
- thumbs downphrase · A2A lowered thumb meaning bad or refused.
- thumbs upphrase · A2A raised thumb meaning good or agreed.
- tremble/ˈtɹɛmbl̩/verb · B1+To shake slightly from fear, cold, or weakness.
- turn your backphrase · B2To refuse to face or help somebody.
- wag/wæɡ/verb · B1+To move something back and forth, as a tail does.
- wave/weɪv/noun · A2A moving line of water rolling onto the beach.
- weep/ˈwiːp/verb · B2To cry, especially quietly and long.
- whistle/ˈwɪs(ə)l/verb · B1To make a high sound by blowing through your lips.
- wince/wɪns/verb · B2+To screw up the face in sudden pain.
- wink/ˈwɪŋk/verb · B2To close one eye quickly at someone as a playful secret signal.
- yawn/jɔːn/verb · B2To open the mouth wide from tiredness.