Lewis & Short

1. gestus, a, um, Part., from gero.

2. gestus, ūs, m. [gero].

  1. I. Lit. (the bearing, i. e. motion of the body, or of a part of the body, esp. of the hand or arm), carriage, posture, attitude, motion, gesture (class.; cf. actus).
    1. A. In gen.: gestum imitari, Lucr. 4, 343; cf. ib. 367: a forma removeatur omnis viro non dignus ornatus, et huic simile vitium in gestu motuque caveatur, Cic. Off. 1, 36, 130: nunc gestus mihi vultusque est capiundus novus, Ter. Phorm. 5, 6, 50: hoc quidem Zeno gestu conficiebat, Cic. Ac. 2, 47, 145: gratificatur mihi gestu accusator, id. Balb. 6, 14: gestum manus Ceycis habebat, Ov. M. 11, 673: ab avium gestu gestuque, motion, Suet. Aug. 7: quo gestu gallina secetur, Juv. 5, 124.
      Plur.: nec flecti cervix nec brachia reddere gestus, Nec pes ire potest, Ov. M. 6, 308.
    2. B. In partic., a gesture, gesticulation of actors or orators according to the rules of art: numquam agit hunc versum Roscius eo gestu, quo potest, sed abjicit prorsus, Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 102; cf. id. Quint. 24, 77: gestus histrionis, id. Att. 6, 1, 8: convenit igitur in gestu nec venustatem conspiciendam nec turpitudinem esse, ne aut histriones aut operarii videamur esse, Auct. Her. 3, 15, 26; cf.: vox et gestus subito sumi et aliunde arripi non potest, Cic. de Or. 1, 59, 252: omnis actio in duas partes divisa, vocem gestumque, Quint. 11, 3, 14; id. 2, 59, 242: tardiore et consideratiore gestu uti, Auct. Her. 3, 15, 27: jactantior, Cael. ap. Quint. 11, 1, 51: acer atque instans, Quint. 11, 3, 92: certus sed paulo productior, id. ib.: comicus magis quam oratorius, id. ib. 125 et saep.
      Plur.: histrionum nonnulli gestus ineptiis non vacant, Cic. Off. 1, 36, 130: alterni, Quint. 6, 3, 65: breves, id. 11, 3, 100: quae (concinnitas) verborum collocationem illuminat his luminibus, quae Graeci quasi aliquos gestus orationis σχήματα appellant, Cic. Or. 25, 83; Quint. 9, 1, 13; and without quasi, Gell. 11, 13, 10: Urbicus risum movet gestibus Autonoes, Juv. 6, 72.
  2. II. (Acc. to gero, II. B. 3.) A management, administration (post-class.), Dig. 26, 10, 3, § 9; ib. 7, 23; ib. 5, § 2.