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cabecear

to nod

verb kah-beh-seh-AHR Rare
Body & Health Movement

Also means

to head (a ball); to pitch (of a boat)

Usage Note

Cabecear derives from cabeza ('head') and covers several head-related motions: nodding in agreement or drowsiness, heading a ball in soccer (cabeceó el balón, 'he headed the ball'), and the pitching motion of a boat or vehicle. Context disambiguates the meaning. The related noun cabeceo refers to the nodding motion itself, also used in tango to describe the lead's head-signal to invite a dance.

Examples

"El árbitro cabeceó ligeramente para confirmar."

Natural Translation

The referee nodded slightly to confirm.

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