Body Language Dictionary and meaning. Remember we must always read body language in clusters of information and there are no absolutes when we analyze even the experts get it wrong from time to time.
Name | Body Region | Gesture Type |
Arm Cross | Arms | Closed |
Arms on Hips | Arms | Closed |
Barrier | Arms | Closed |
Arms Behind Back | Arms | Open |
Baton | Arms | Aggression |
Elbow Closure | Arms | Closed |
Elbow Out | Arms | Open |
Freeze | Arms | Unsure |
Guiding | Arms | Open |
Arms in Air | Arms | Open |
Knee Hugging | Arms | Unsure |
Protecting | Arms | Closed |
Single Arm Wrap | Arms | Closed |
Gestural Absence | Body | Closed |
Eyebrow Narrowing | Eyes | Unsure |
Eye Blink Rate | Eyes | Stress |
Eyebrow Flash | Eyes | Open |
Ocular Orbital Tension | Eyes | Unsure |
Pupil Constriction | Eyes | Closed |
Pupil Dilation | Eyes | Open |
Eye Squint | Eyes | Stress |
Anger | Face | Aggression |
Confirmation Glance | Face | Unsure |
Contempt | Face | Open |
Disgust | Face | Open |
Flushing | Face | Open |
Fear | Face | Open |
Jaw Clenching | Face | Aggression |
Lip Compression | Face | Concealing |
Lip Retraction | Face | Unsure |
Foreign Object Insertion | Face | Unsure |
Sadness | Face | Open |
Surprise | Face | Unsure |
Teeth Sucking | Face | Aggression |
Nostril Wing Dilation | Face | Aggression |
Yawn | Face | Open |
Toes Up | Feet | Open |
Foot Withdrawal | Feet | Unsure |
Toes Pointed Inward | Feet | Closed |
Behind Head | Hands | Open |
Hands on the Back of the Neck | Hands | Unsure |
Chin Stroke | Hands | Open |
Digital Extention | Hands | Open |
Digital Flexation | Hands | Closed |
Eyelid Rubbing | Hands | Unsure |
Fidgeting | Hands | Unsure |
Finger to Nose | Hands | Unsure |
Facial Touching | Hands | Unsure |
Grooming | Hands | Unsure |
Genital Protecting | Hands | Closed |
Two Handed Grasping | Hands | Closed |
Hushing | Hands | Control |
Knee Clasp | Hands | Unsure |
Locked Fingers | Hands | Relaxed |
Lint Picking | Hands | Unsure |
Palms Down | Hands | Closed |
Palm Exposure | Hands | Open |
Hands in Pockets | Hands | Closed |
Steepling | Hands | Open |
Chest Touching | Hands | Unsure |
Clasping the Thighs | Hands | Open |
Tapping | Hands | Open |
Throat Clasping | Hands | Unsure |
Wrist to Forehead | Hands | Unsure |
Wrist Touching | Hands | Closed |
Chin Thrust | Head | Aggression |
Happiness | Head | Open |
Head Back | Head | Open |
Head Downcast | Head | Open |
Head Support | Head | Unsure |
Head Tilt | Head | Open |
No | Head | Open |
Turtling | Head | Unsure |
Vertical Headshake | Head | Open |
Figure Four Leg Cross | Legs | Open |
Barrier Cross | Legs | Closed |
Binding Legs | Legs | Closed |
Leg Crossing | Legs | Open |
Double Leg Cross | Legs | Closed |
Groin Exposure | Legs | Open |
Locked Ankles | Legs | Closed |
Adam’s Apple Raise | Neck | Stress |
Shoulder Shrugging | Neck | Open |
Swallowing | Neck | Closed |
Ventilation | Neck | Unsure |
Belonging Carelessness | Object | Open |
Personal Belonging Security Check | Object | Unsure |
Chair Arms | Object | Stress |
Clothing Covering | Object | Closed |
Feet Around Chair Legs | Object | Unsure |
Fist on Table | Object | Aggression |
Groin Shield | Object | Closed |
Jacket Buttoning | Object | Closed |
Jewelry Play | Object | Unsure |
Object Barrier | Object | Closed |
Object Concealment | Object | Closed |
Object Interaction | Object | Open |
Interaction With Other’s Property | Object | Open |
Shoe Removal | Object | Open |
Watch Checking | Object | Open |
Pelvic Facing | Pelvic | Open |
Pelvic Tilt | Pelvic | Open |
Constantly Raised Shoulders | Shoulder | Unsure |
Self Hug | Shoulder | Closed |
Single Shoulder Shrug | Shoulder | Unsure |
Breathing Rate | Torso | Open |
Torso Facing | Torso | Open |
Posture | Torso | Open |
Postural Tilt | Torso | Open |
Ambiguity | Verbal | |
Direct Chronology | Verbal | |
Exclusions | Verbal | |
Vocal Hesitancy | Verbal | |
Mini Confessions | Verbal | |
Non Answer Statement | Verbal | |
Non Contracting Statements | Verbal | |
Over Apologizing | Verbal | |
Politeness | Verbal | |
Pronoun Absence | Verbal | |
Psychological Distancing | Verbal | |
Question Reversal | Verbal | |
Resume Statements | Verbal | |
Rising Vocal Pitch | Verbal | |
Increase in Vocal Speed | Verbal |