1
general::
noun ADJ. brief, brisk, quick, imperceptible, little, slight, small | curt, perfunctory, terse He dismissed them with a curt nod. | approving, satisfied She inspected my work and gave a satisfied nod. | reassuring | passing (figurative) He gave a passing nod (= a brief acknowledgement) to the show that had launched his career. VERB + NOD give (sb) My teacher gave me a nod of reassurance and I began. | get He's ready to play and just waiting to get the nod from the team coach. | wait for PREP. at a ~, with a ~ | ~ from At a nod from Lawton, he gently turned the handle. | ~ in the direction of, ~ of a nod of approval | ~ to, ~ towards ‘I couldn't have done this alone’, he said with a nod towards his wife. PHRASES a nod of sb's/the head She answered with an almost imperceptible nod of the head., verb ADV. just, merely, only, simply Ashamed, I could only nod. | fervently, furiously, vigorously, violently ‘That's exactly it,’ she said, nodding vigorously. | gently She nodded gently to herself. | almost imperceptibly, slightly | slowly | quickly | abruptly, briefly, briskly, curtly He nodded curtly and walked away. | jerkily, stiffly | dumbly, mutely, silently, wordlessly She could not speak but just nodded mutely. | absently, abstractedly, vaguely He nodded absently, his mind obviously on other things. | meekly | politely, respectfully | amiably, cheerfully, happily | appreciatively, approvingly, eagerly, encouragingly, enthusiastically, gratefully, sympathetically, understandingly | doubtfully, reluctantly | coolly | grimly | glumly, miserably, sadly | gravely, seriously, solemnly, thoughtfully | intelligently, sagely, wisely She nodded sagely as she listened. | back PREP. at They nodded at us, so we nodded back. | in She nodded in agreement. | to She nodded to Duncan as she left. | towards ‘Let's go,’ he said, nodding towards the door. | with He nodded with satisfaction.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary