I.
noun
1 movement that expresses sth
ADJECTIVE
▪ dramatic , expansive , expressive , extravagant , flamboyant , melodramatic , rhetorical , sweeping , theatrical
▪
She made an expansive ~ with her arms.
▪ abrupt
▪ subtle , vague
▪
He responded with a vague ~ in the direction of the beach.
▪ crude ( esp. AmE ), obscene , rude
▪ angry , defiant , dismissive , threatening
▪ helpless
VERB + GESTURE
▪ make
▪
The children made rude ~s at them.
PREPOSITION
▪ by ~
▪
They communicate entirely by ~.
▪ in a ~
▪
He waved his arms in a melodramatic ~.
▪ with a ~
▪
She waved us away with an impatient ~.
▪ ~ of
▪
a ~ of despair
2 sth that shows other people what you think/feel
ADJECTIVE
▪ kind , nice , sweet , thoughtful
▪
I thought it was a nice ~ to send everyone a card.
▪ bold
▪
a bold ~ of reconciliation
▪ simple
▪ dramatic , extravagant , grand
▪
He had the respect of his people without the need for grand ~s.
▪ noble
▪ conciliatory , friendly , goodwill
▪ romantic
▪ empty , small , symbolic , token
▪
Words and empty ~s are not enough—we demand action!
▪
a token ~ of their good intentions
▪ futile
▪ political
PREPOSITION
▪ as a ~
▪
Several hostages were released as a goodwill ~.
▪ in a ~
▪
In a dramatic ~, he threw the money on the table.
▪ ~ against
▪
The invasion attempt was intended as a political ~ against his opponents.
▪ ~ of
▪
His gift was a ~ of friendship.
▪ ~ towards/toward
▪
The president's speech was seen as a conciliatory ~ towards/toward former enemies.
II.
verb
ADVERB
▪ vaguely
▪ frantically , wildly
▪ expansively , grandly
▪ impatiently
▪ helplessly
PREPOSITION
▪ at
▪
She ~d at him to step back.
▪ about ( BrE ), around
▪
He ~d around the room, lost for words.
▪ for
▪
He ~d abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.
▪ to
▪
Davis ~d to the waiter.
▪ towards/toward
▪
He ~d vaguely towards/toward the house.