head: Movements that express emotional, psychological, or physical states

Movements that express emotional, psychological, or physical states

опускать/опустить голову_a	to hang one's head
NB The above expression usually indicates sadness, shame, or embarrassment.
ронять/уронить голову_a на грудь_a	to let one's head drop to one's breast, to bow one's head
понурить [no Impf.] голову_a; повесить [no Impf.] голову_a; поникнуть [no Impf.] головой_i	to hang one's head
NB The four expressions above usually indicate sadness.
ронять/уронить голову_a на стол_a (or на руки_a)	to drop one's head onto the table/into one's arms
Мать рыдала, уронив голову на руки.	Mother wept, her head cradled in her arms.
NB The above expression usually indicates grief.
*биться [no Pf.] головой_i о стену_a*	to beat one's head against the wall
NB The above expression usually indicates despair.
*бить [no Pf.] себя_a кулаком_i по голове_p*	to beat oneself on the head with one's fist
NB The above expression indicates strong anger at oneself.
хвататься/схватиться за голову_a (or за голову_a)	to seize one's head in one's hands
NB The above expression often indicates strong emotion, such as surprise, horror, or shock. It is also used figuratively, in the sense of "to suddenly see one's error."
*чесать/почесать [Pf-awhile] в голове_p*	to scratch one's head
NB The above expression often indicates a state of puzzlement or indecision.
качать/покачать головой_i	to shake one's head
NB The above expression usually indicates disagreement, doubt, or disapproval.
Жена... посмеялась и покачала головой, как делают, когда даже ничего и говорить не хочется на глупость. [В. Шукшин]	[His] wife chuckled, and shook her head the way you do when you don't even want to respond to such nonsense. [V. Shukshin]
кивать/кивнуть головой_i	to nod one's head
NB The above expression usually indicates agreement.
Он слушал и кивал головой.	He listened, nodding.
*тряхнуть [no Impf.] головой_i*	to nod firmly
NB The above expression describes a gesture that signals a decision just made, or preparation for some decisive action.
*сидеть [no Pf.], (тяжело) подперев голову_a рукой_i*	to sit with one's head propped in one's hand
NB The above expression indicates mental anguish or deep thought.
втягивать/втянуть голову_a в плечи_a;	to draw one's head into one's shoulders
вбирать/вобрать голову_a в плечи_a
NB The above expressions indicate fear, embarrassment, shame, resignation, or that one feels chilly.
прижимать/прижать голову_a N_g к груди_d	*to cradle N's* head to one's breast**
NB The gesture denoted by the above expression indicates that one is offering affection or consolation.
класть/положить голову_a N_d на грудь_a (or плечо_a, колени_a etc.)	to lay one's head on N's breast (or shoulder, knees, etc.)
NB The gesture denoted by the above expression indicates that one is seeking affection or consolation.
Он положил голову на её колени и вскоре заснул.	He put his head in her lap and immediately fell asleep.
падать/упасть: голова_n падает на грудь_a	one's head sinks to one's chest
свешиваться/свеситься: голова_n свесилась на грудь_a (or вниз)	one's head has fallen to one's chest
NB The two expressions above indicate drowsiness or weakness.
дрожать/задрожать [Pf-begin]: у N_g голова_n дрожит; трястись/затрястись [Pf-begin]: у N_g голова_n трясётся	N's head shakes
NB The above two expressions indicate a condition arising from age or illness.