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Literary notes about nod (AI summary)

In literature, “nod” emerges as a versatile gesture conveying much more than a mere tilt of the head. Writers employ the nod to communicate silent assent or dissent, as well as to establish moods ranging from respectful deference to subtle irony. It often marks a turning point in dialogue—a brief, wordless confirmation that carries emotional weight ([1], [2]), or a dismissive gesture that underscores social and political hierarchies ([3], [4]). Moreover, in epic narratives it is imbued with mythic significance, representing divine sanction or imperial command that reverberates through the story ([5], [6]). Even in more intimate or humorous moments, the nod encapsulates unspoken understanding or gentle rebuke, proving that this small movement can speak volumes in the hands of a skilled author ([7], [8]).
  1. Pleasant answered with a short dumb nod.
    — from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
  2. "I like that, Cousin Phoebe!" cried he, with an emphatic nod of approbation.
    — from The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  3. He glanced at Prince Andrew and did not even nod to him.
    — from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
  4. A nod from a beloved leader of any army is sufficient to enkindle anew the courage of the regiment and to lead them irresistibly into sure death.
    — from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park
  5. Then with his sable brow he gave the nod That seals his word; the sanction of the god.
    — from The Iliad by Homer
  6. Then thus to both replied th’ imperial god, Who shakes heav’n’s axles with his awful nod.
    — from The Aeneid by Virgil
  7. He used to nod many times to her and smile when she came in, and utter inarticulate deprecatory moans when she was going away.
    — from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
  8. "I don't think she will," said my father, with a mysterious smile, and a little nod of his head, as if he knew more about it than he cared to tell us.
    — from Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

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