salute

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To greet or address with an expression of welcome, goodwill, or respect.
2. v. To recognize (a superior) with a gesture prescribed by military regulations, as by raising the hand to the cap.
3. v. To honor formally and ceremoniously.
4. v. To express warm approval of; commend: salute an agency for its charity work.
5. v. To become noticeable to: A stench saluted our nostrils.
6. v. To make a gesture of greeting or respect.
7. n. An act of greeting; a salutation.
8. n. An act or gesture of welcome, honor, or courteous recognition: a musical salute to the composer's 90th birthday.
9. n. The position of the hand or rifle or the bodily posture of a person saluting a military superior.
10. n. A formal military display of honor or greeting, such as the firing of cannon.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To wish health to; greet with expressions of respect, good will, affection, etc.
2. To greet with a kiss, a bow, a courtesy, the uncovering of the head, a clasp or a wave of the hand, or the like; especially, in older writers, to kiss.
3. To hail or greet with welcome, honor, homage, etc.; welcome; hail.
4. To honor formally or with ceremonious recognition, as by the firing of cannon, presenting arms, dipping the colors, etc.: as, to salute a general or an admiral; to salute the flag.
5. To touch; affect; influence; excite.
6. To perform a salutation; exchange greetings.
7. To perform a military salute.
8. n. An act of expressing kind wishes or respect; a salutation; a greeting.
9. n. A kiss.
10. n. In the army and navy, a compliment paid when a distinguished personage presents himself, when troops or squadrons meet, when officers are buried, or to celebrate an event or show respect to a flag, and on many other ceremonial occasions. There are many modes of performing a salute, such as firing cannon or small-arms, dipping colors, presenting arms, manning the yards, cheering, etc. The salute representing the exchange of courtesies between a man-of-war, when entering a harbor for the first time within a year, and the authorities on shore, consists in firing a certain number of guns, depending upon the rank of the officers saluted.
11. n. The position of the sword, rifle, hand, etc., in saluting; the attitude of a person saluting: as, to stand at the salute while the general is passing; specifically, in fencing, a formal greeting of swordsmen when about to engage.
12. n. Synonyms Greeting, etc. See salutation.
13. n. A gold coin current in the French dominions of Henry V. and Henry VI. of England, weighing about 54 grains.

Wiktionary

1. n. A formal gesture done in honor of someone or something, usually with the hand or hands in one of various particular positions.
2. n. Any action done for the purpose of honor or tribute .
3. v. To make a gesture in honor of someone or something.
4. v. To act in thanks, honor, or tribute; to thank or extend gratitude.
5. v. Ireland, informal to wave, to acknowledge an acquaintance.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To address, as with expressions of kind wishes and courtesy; to greet; to hail.
2. v. Hence, to give a sign of good will; to compliment by an act or ceremony, as a kiss, a bow, etc.
3. v. (Mil. & Naval) To honor, as some day, person, or nation, by a discharge of cannon or small arms, by dipping colors, by cheers, etc.
4. v. obsolete To promote the welfare and safety of; to benefit; to gratify.
5. n. The act of saluting, or expressing kind wishes or respect; salutation; greeting.
6. n. A sign, token, or ceremony, expressing good will, compliment, or respect, as a kiss, a bow, etc.
7. n. (Mil. & Naval) A token of respect or honor for some distinguished or official personage, for a foreign vessel or flag, or for some festival or event, as by presenting arms, by a discharge of cannon, volleys of small arms, dipping the colors or the topsails, etc.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. honor with a military ceremony, as when honoring dead soldiers
2. n. an act of greeting with friendly words and gestures like bowing or lifting the hat
3. v. become noticeable
4. n. an act of honor or courteous recognition
5. n. a formal military gesture of respect
6. v. greet in a friendly way
7. v. recognize with a gesture prescribed by a military regulation; assume a prescribed position
8. v. propose a toast to
9. v. express commendation of