thumbs up in British English an indication of encouragement, approval, or acceptance. See full dictionary entry for thumb.
thumbs up in British English
an indication of encouragement, approval, or acceptance.
Thumbs up is perhaps the most common of hand gestures and one that has been used for thousands of years. The signal for approval or agreement is commonly found European and American cultures as a sign of approval or that things are going according to plan.
"The most well-documented origin of it in the U.S. is from World War II," Rashotte told LiveScience. "Pilots would use a thumbs-up to indicate they were ready to go up. That's how they would indicate to the crew that they were ready, that everything was good."
thumbs up/down. (informal) used to show that something has been accepted/rejected or that it is/is not a success.
The thumbs up emoji usually just means “OK.”
The person you're texting is giving you their approval, so take it and leave it! Their ? is most likely a good sign and they are just agreeing with what you're saying. Say you asked a friend if they wanted to meet for lunch. Your friend may say “yes” by sending you a ? .
If you were born before the mid-1990s, the answer is likely to be the good old thumbs-up emoji. But for Generation Z, or “zoomers," born between the mid-1990s and 2010, the thumbs-up emoji is increasingly viewed as signaling sarcasm or being downright hostile, according to self-reports on social media.
In some cultures, including Australia, Greece, and the Middle East, the thumbs-up gesture can be considered obscene, equivalent to “Up yours!” In many Western cultures, the thumbs-up emoji enjoys a wide range of use in text messages, social-media posts, and other forms of digital communication.
Thumbs-Up. Avoid using this gesture in: Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Italy, and Greece. The gesture of 'Thumbs-up may look cool on Facebook or USA, but in Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Italy, and Greece, it means "up yours." So, to avoid any awkwardness, next time you must reconsider what you are doing.
If you were born before the mid-1990s, the answer is likely to be the good old thumbs-up emoji. “For younger people (I'm 24 for reference) the thumbs up emoji is used to be really passive aggressive. It's super rude if someone just sends you a thumbs up.” Similar representative comments can be found on Twitter.
Thumbs up. Outside of the few countries where it is an offensive gesture, the thumbs up for OK sign has become almost universally understood worldwide. It is fairly commonly used in the UK, but there can still seem to be something American about using it.
The "thumbs up" sign popular in the United States is used widely in most of Europe to say "OK" (it also represents the number one when counting).
Meaning of two fingers in English
in Britain, a sign that is considered rude, made by holding your hand up with your palm facing toward you and your first and second fingers held in a V shape: She drove past and stuck two fingers up at him. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Gestures & gesturing.
According to The Sun, Scarlett revealed that the thumbs-up emoji was meant to denote passive-aggressiveness. “If you ever receive the thumbs up emoji, be insulted immediately,” she said. That probably means that many of us have insulted the people we have sent the emoji to without either them or us knowing it.
For some, the thumbs up emoji is just simply an emoji used when quickly acknowledging a message or expressing general contentment. However, to others, this emoji is actually quite rude and in particular, Gen Z users are against using it as it is a very passive-aggressive and sarcastic emoji.
idiom informal. Add to word list Add to word list. used to show approval of something: So it's the thumbs up for Brighton's latest nightclub.
Hold up your right fist with the back of your hand facing the other person and raise just your middle finger. This is about the most aggressive/ offensive gesture in English, meaning basically “f*ck you”, often as a replacement for actually hitting someone.
Quick Reference. The quintessential British offensive gesture for most of the 20th century, formed by holding up a hand with the middle and index finger upright in a V shape, the thumb and other two fingers curled into the palm; the palm facing towards the gesturer.
10: The Middle Finger
The middle finger is probably the most obscene gesture in the U.S. The most offensive gesture in America is flipping someone off.
Though many western countries recognize a "thumbs up" gesture as an affirmative sign or sign of approval, in Australia it is considered a rude gesture having a meaning similar to that of a raised middle finger.
The V sign is rude only in certain circumstances. The V sign is the equivalent of the middle finger in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia only if it is performed in a certain way: with the palm facing inward and with a little upward jerk.
The middle finger emoji represents the physical act of raising one's middle finger—considered an obscene gesture in many cultures—and is used for offensive or humorous effect.
The meaning of hand gestures vary drastically from culture to culture. Flash someone a well-meaning "thumbs up" sign in Russia, and they'll interpret it as a vulgar insult.
Depicting two hands pressed together and fingers pointed up, ? Folded Hands is variously used as a gesture of prayer (religious or secular), thanks, request, and greeting as well to express such sentiments as hope, praise, gratitude, reverence, and respect.
The ? emoji can be used to show excitement.
For some people, the ? emoji is just another way of saying “Yeehaw!”