a nod to/toward something
1
a sign that someone is aware of or wants to recognize the influence or importance of somethingThe pop star’s look is a nod to old Hollywood glamour.
The title of Tim Blake Nelson’s “Leaves of Grass” is a nod toward poet Walt Whitman.
This meaning is based on one submitted to the Open Dictionary by: Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 19/11/2015 Synonyms and related words
Praise and admiration
praise
admiration
recognition
See also main entry: nodSee also main entry: nod