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Glite Dictionary
thumbs up

thumbs up

46 2.7
A hand gesture that shows approval by raising the thumb
  • noun
translation icon : gesto de aprobación
  • After her performance, the audience showed their approval with a thumbs up gesture.
  • give a thumbs up
  • a thumbs up gesture
  • a thumbs up sign

Give this video a thumbs up if you like air.

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Examples

  • So when I get the thumbs up, we will get started.

  • Students indicated with a thumbs up or down whether they made the right choice.

    Academic text (2013)

  • Give this video a thumbs up if you like air.

    Sarah Rae Vargas

  • Be sure to give the video a thumbs up before you leave.

  • If you like the video, please give a thumbs up and enjoy.

  • You get the thumbs up.

    The Fall Guy (2024)

  • How about a thumbs up, huh?

    Annie (2014)

  • I'm going to give this video a thumbs up myself.

    Zoella

  • They're giving us the thumbs up.

    Ted 2 (2015)

  • Carl takes the money, gives Ben the thumbs up, and exits.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

to nod
vsthumbs up
442 1.0

Move your head up and down to show agreement or understanding

is mainly used as a positive hand signal to show approval or encouragement
quick nod
vsthumbs up
1 1.4

A short up and down head movement that shows agreement

uses a hand signal to show approval rather than a head motion
e-thumb
vsthumbs up
  • Texting
7.7

An online click that shows you like or support a post

is a physical hand gesture used in face to face interaction

How Approving

cheer
205 1.0
applause
647 1.0
thumbs up
46 2.7
to nod
442 1.0

Surface Forms

thumbs up singular
thumbs ups plural

Morphology

thumb + up

The compound literally describes the physical action of a thumb being raised (from 'thumb' + 'up'), so a learner who knows the constituents can picture the gesture. However, the conventionalized pragmatic meaning 'approval/agreement' is culturally conventional and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so full understanding may require exposure.

Etymology

The gesture thumbs up may come from an old signal where people raised the thumb up to show 'yes' or that something was good. That's why today it means 'approval' or 'agreement'.