Quick Definition
κατασείω v. I shake, wave, beckon
Strong's Definition
from 2596 and 4579; to sway downward, i.e. make a signal
KJV Usage: beckon
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | σείω
33.478 · Communication · Non-Verbal Communication
to make a sign, to give a signal to communicate by means of a sign or signal The rendering of this statement in ACT 12:17 must often be modified depending upon the particular nature of the signal in the receptor language, for example, ‘by holding up his hand, he told them to be quiet’ or ‘he motioned with his hand and they understood they should be quiet.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κατα-σείω: 1 aor. κατέσεισα; 1. to shake down, throw down, [ef. κατά, III. 1; (fr. Thue. on)]. 2. to shake: τὴν χεῖρα, to make a sign by shaking (i. 6. rapidly waving) the hand (Philo, leg. ad Gaium § 28; ras χεῖρας, ib. de Josepho § 36); of one about to speak who signals for silence, Acts xix. 33; hence simply κατασείειν τινί, to make a sign, to signal with the hand to one, Xen. Cyr. 5, 4. 4; Joseph. antt. 8, 11, 2; then, with a disregard of the origin of the phrase, the instrument. dat. 77 χειρί was added, Polyb. 1, 78, 3; Joseph. antt. 4, 8, 48; so of one about to make an address: Acts xii. 17; xiii. 16; xxi. 40; Joseph. antt. 8, 11, 2.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
κατασείω kataseiō 4x
to shake down or violently, Acts 19:33; τὴν χεῖρα, or τῇ χειρι, to wave the hand, beckon; to signal silence by waving the hand, Acts 12:17; 13:16; 21:40*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** κατα-σείω,
[in LXX: Da TH Bel 14 AR, I Mac 6:38*;]
to shake down.
Of the hand, to shake or wave as a signal: τ. χεῖρα, Ac 19:33; τ. χειρί, Ac 13:16; id. c. dat. pers., Ac 21:40; seq. inf., Ac 12:17.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
κατασείω. For this verb with the dat., as in Ac 12!” αἱ., cf. the magical invocation P Lond 46%% (iv/A.p.) (=I. p. 80) κατασείων τῷ λύχνῳ ἅμα λέγων τὸν λόγον KTA. See also Hobart p. 103.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
κατασείω (kataseiō) — to signal. κατα-σείω, future -σείσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect -σέσεικα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]:—shake down, throw down, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τεῖχος, τοῦ τείχους ἐπὶ μέγα, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —passive, fall down, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; of a lion's mane, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: metaphorically, [Refs 4th c.BC+] until he laid him on the floor (with drinking), [Refs 4th c.BC+]
2. impel, drive headlong, [Refs 4th c.BC+] —passive, πρὸς τὸ λέγειν κ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]
3. in Surgery, treat by shaking, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, [Refs]
4. κατασείσας τὴν χεῖρα with a motion of the hand, [NT+1st c.AD+]; κ. τὰ ἱμάτια, by way of signal, [Refs 1st c.AD+] beckon with the hand, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: absolutely, κ. τινί beckon to another, as a sign for him to be silent, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but also, shake the head in token of contempt, [Refs 1st c.BC+]