inclination
- noun
- /ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/
- The majordomo gave his head a curt inclination.
- inclination of the head
- slight inclination
Examples
-
She was going to open her mouth, but she glanced at the boy and closed it, and with a look and an inclination of the head, she bade Vicente go up the stairs.
Fiction book (2000) -
The security chief acknowledged the kindness with a slight inclination of his head.
Fiction book (1991) -
Ong gave a slight inclination of his head.
Fiction book (1998) -
For tourists, a simple inclination of the head or an attempt at a bow at the waist will usually suffice.
Blog text (34) -
He acknowledged her with a small, almost courtly inclination of his head.
Fiction book (1996) -
He spotted the hatchet-faced old woman waving one gloved and heavily ringed hand and favored her with a slight inclination of his head, acknowledging the hit.
Fiction book (2000) -
She acknowledged my greeting with a polite inclination of her head.
-
During the ceremony, the guest of honor made a graceful inclination of her head to the audience.
-
The teacher emphasized the importance of respect with a slight inclination of her head while listening.
Synonyms
A slant away from a straight or level position
How much an object bends or moves away from a straight line
A small movement of the head to one side that shows curiosity or confusion
Bending of a beam or other part so it is not straight
Compounds
- Specialized
The tilt of a line measured counterclockwise from the positive x-axis
- Specialized
The angle that shows how tilted an orbit is to Earth's path around the Sun
How Deep
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word inclination comes from clinare 'to lean' and the part in- 'into', so it once meant a simple bend or lean. That's why an inclination can be a small lean or 'bow' of the head, a polite gesture.