beck

1 of 3

verb

ˈbek How to pronounce beck (audio)
becked; becking; becks
Synonyms of becknext

transitive verb

archaic
: beckon

beck

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
chiefly Scotland : bow, curtsy
2
a
: a beckoning gesture
b
: summons, bidding
see also:
at one's beck and call

beck

3 of 3

noun (2)

British
: creek sense 1

Synonyms of beck

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Noun (2)

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Examples of beck in a Sentence

Noun (2) when we were lads, we raced our toy boats in the narrow beck that bordered the lane
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Oh, and there's a butler at your beck and call. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 And of course, your ride-sharing service of choice is at your beck and call. — Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026 Up until that point, Rosamond and Posy were always at her beck and call. — Kennedy French, Variety, 28 Feb. 2026 She’s paid to be at Souria’s beck and call every moment of the day and often gets awakened at strange times in the night for errands, like going out to buy every item on a fast-food restaurant’s menu and bring it back for a midnight feast. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for beck

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bekken, shortened from bekenen "to give a mute signal," with the n perhaps being taken as the infinitive ending — more at beckon

Noun (1)

Middle English becke, bekke "mute signal, signal of command, bow," noun derivative of bekken "to give a mute signal" — more at beck entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English bek, from Old Norse bekkr; akin to Old English bæc brook, Old High German bah, Lithuanian bėgti to flee — more at phobia

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beck was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing beck

Rhymes for beck

See All Rhymes for beck

Browse Nearby Words

Bechuanaland
beck
beckelite
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Cite this Entry

“Beck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beck. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

beck

noun
ˈbek
: a beckoning gesture
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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