to wave aside - Glite Dictionary

Examples

I tried to talk to him a few times then, but he flinched, became agitated, his big hands fluttering around his face, waving aside the distraction of me.

Fiction book (1996)
Norma maneuvered it up to the stoop and waved aside Boone's helping hands.

Blog text (7)
"Weakly, she tried to wave aside Eliza's concern.

Fiction book (1994)
The gossiper waved aside the objection.

Fiction book (1992)
He waved aside the waiting captain and three armed guards.

Fiction book (1997)
"But nothing that a candidate has said in September has ever determined a race unless it was 'your honor, I plead guilty,'" the adviser said, waving aside those who declared the race over.

Blog text (4)
"Near the end of her life, she waved aside a question about the afterlife, saying that she was too busy with the present to worry about the complexities of what is to come hereafter."

Academic text (2003)
" I won't waste time eating what'll doubtless return on me all too soon," Idarolan said, waving aside the plates.

Fiction book (1991)
During the meeting, she waved aside the concerns of her colleagues about the new project.
He briefly waved aside the criticism from his peers, insisting he knew what he was doing.

Synonyms

to dismiss

vsto wave aside

332 3.0

To refuse to accept an idea or claim

is often a physical rejecting motion rather than an abstract decision

to disregard

vsto wave aside

119 3.9

Ignore something or someone on purpose

is often done with a gesture rather than only ignoring silently

to shrug off

vsto wave aside

27 3.9

Treat something as unimportant and ignore it

is an outward rejection often shown by gesture rather than internal resilience

to brush off

vsto wave aside

Informal

22 3.9

To ignore what someone says or feels as unimportant

is often expressed with a short gesture rather than just ignoring

to brush aside

vsto wave aside

13 4.5

Ignore a person or thing because you think they are not important

is more likely to be a brief dismissing action rather than patient ignoring

to push aside

vsto wave aside

7 4.1

Refuse to think about something, for example worries or objections

is more often a visible act dismissing something not only mental exclusion

to pooh-pooh

vsto wave aside

5 9.5

To treat an idea or opinion as unimportant and not worth taking seriously

is a milder rejecting act often shown by gesture rather than scorn

to wave away

vsto wave aside

4 5.3

Treat a question or problem as not important

is often expressed with a gesture while rejecting things as unimportant

to sweep aside

vsto wave aside

3 4.7

To ignore an opinion or worry as unimportant

is lighter and may use a simple gesture rather than a forceful dismissal

to wave off

vsto wave aside

Informal

2 5.9

Treat something as unimportant and ignore it

is often done with a gesture rather than only words to reject it

to wave one's hand dismissively

vsto wave aside

6.7

To move your hand to show you do not care

is broader action rejecting things with or without a gesture

Antonyms

to consider

∞ 1.1

To think carefully before making a decision

to acknowledge

367 3.8

To admit that something is true or real

How Dismissive

to reject

839 1.9

to dismiss

332 3.0

to ignore

∞ 1.0

to wave aside

1 6.1

to brush aside

13 4.5

Surface Forms

wave aside infinitive

waved aside past

waved aside past participle

waving aside present participle

waves aside third person singular

Morphology

wave + aside

The meaning 'to dismiss or reject' follows directly from combining 'wave' (a dismissive gesture) with 'aside' (to the side): the image of waving something away maps clearly onto rejecting it. This gesture-based compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents is likely to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Wave aside comes from the simple image of someone using a hand wave to push something aside so it is ignored. So, to wave aside an idea or worry means to reject it as 'unimportant'.