Gesticulate

To gesticulate is to make expressive movements with one's hands or arms, often while speaking. These gestures serve to emphasize a point, convey emotion, or help to communicate ideas more clearly. Gesticulation can range from subtle hand motions to broad, sweeping arm gestures and is a common form of nonverbal communication, employed across cultures, although the specific movements and their interpretations can vary. It often reveals a speaker's enthusiasm, frustration, excitement, or confusion, adding a layer of nuance beyond spoken words. This expressive use of the limbs assists in painting a vivid picture of the intended meaning and aids in drawing the attention of the audience.

Gesticulate meaning with examples

• During his passionate speech, the politician began to gesticulate wildly, his arms flailing as he emphasized the importance of his proposed policy. The crowd responded, clearly understanding the emphasis put on his words.
• The Italian chef, explaining his recipe, would gesticulate with a flourish, mimicking the act of kneading dough and sprinkling spices, creating a sense of the food's preparation that captivated his audience. The gestures themselves spoke of the love he had for his craft.
• Trying to describe the intricate design of the building to the architect, the client began to gesticulate, sketching shapes in the air with his hands to convey the dimensions and layout of the various parts of the architecture.
• Despite the language barrier, the excited traveler was able to gesticulate their requests to a local vendor, miming the actions of tasting the exotic fruits they hoped to purchase, conveying exactly what they wanted.