To gesticulate means to make bodily gestures of a communicative nature. In oratory, it is recommended that all forms of gesticulation are kept to a minimum level, precisely to avoid distracting the audience and making them focus on something other than the message that is being conveyed. However, for purposes of effect, one can gesticulate when delivering a speech, but this should be, as mentioned before, limited and only performed when one is secure that the effect will be positive and meaningful.
