hand signal
Wordless driving communication
A hand signal is a gesture used to communicate without speaking.
Drivers use hand signals to indicate turns when lights fail.
Referees signal fouls, coaches relay plays, and divers communicate underwater—all with standardized hand gestures.
In casual use, a hand signal might be a wave, a thumbs-up, or an obscene gesture: He gave me a hand signal to wait.
- gestureCommunicative body movement
- waveOscillating motion through medium
- thumbs upGesture signaling approval
- high fiveCongratulatory palm-to-palm gesture
- hang looseSlang for staying calm
salute · beckon · pointing · traffic · traffic cop · referee · palm · fingers · communication · stop · okay · hitchhike · military · directing · silent · secret handshake · fist · motion
- visual signalsflag code, heliograph, wigwag
- communicationtelephone, conversation, inform, messages, dialogue
- gesturesgesture, applause, tap on shoulder, snap fingers, beckon
- signalswaved, nodded, gestured, blinked, flashed
- nonverbal signalsgesture, gestures, nod, wink, smile
- military tacticstactics, flanking, maneuver, ambush, battle formations
hand signalvoice command
Spoken order to technology
spoken word · verbal cue · whistle · shout · text message
hand signalbody language
Unspoken physical expression
silence · facial expression · no signal · stillness · microexpression
hand, signal, hands, handed, handing, handy, handily, handiness, handful