beck

n. [ OE. bek, AS. becc; akin to Icel. bekkr brook, OHG. pah, G. bach. ] A small brook. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brooks, the becks, the rills. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vat. See Back. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Becked p. pr. & vb. n. Becking. ] [ Contr. of beckon. ] To nod, or make a sign with the head or hand. [ Archaic ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To notify or call by a nod, or a motion of the head or hand; to intimate a command to. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When gold and silver becks me to come on. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A significant nod, or motion of the head or hand, esp. as a call or command. [ 1913 Webster ]

They have troops of soldiers at their beck. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A European fish (Pagellus centrodontus); the sea bream or braise. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. D. bek beak, and E. beak. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Naut.) A small grommet, or a ring or loop of rope or metal for holding things in position, as spars, ropes, etc.; also a bracket, a pocket, or a handle made of rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A spade for digging turf. [ Prov. Eng. ] Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beckoned (&unr_;); p. pr. & vb. n. Beckoning. ] To make a significant sign to; hence, to summon, as by a motion of the hand. [ 1913 Webster ]

His distant friends, he beckons near. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

It beckons you to go away with it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]