yawn

yawn
1. verb /jɔːn,jɔn,jɑn/
a) To open the mouth widely and take a long, rather deep breath, often because one is tired and sometimes accompanied by pandiculation.

The canyon yawns as it has done for millions of years, and we stand looking, dumbstruck.

b) To present an opening that appears able to swallow one up, literally or metaphorically:

Death yawned before us, and I hit the brakes.

2. noun /jɔːn,jɔn,jɑn/
The action of yawning; opening the mouth widely and taking a long, rather deep breath, often because one is tired.

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  • Yawn — (y[add]n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Yawned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Yawning}.] [OE. yanien, [yogh]anien, ganien, gonien, AS. g[=a]nian; akin to ginian to yawn, g[=i]nan to yawn, open wide, G. g[ a]hnen to yawn, OHG. gin[=e]n, gein[=o]n, Icel. g[=i]na to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • yawn´er — yawn «yawn», verb, noun. –v.i. 1. to open the mouth wide because one is sleepy, tired, or bored: »The reader must not yawn, or yield to tickles in the throat, or tire of the tale in the middle (London Times). 2. to open wide; gape: »The canyon… …   Useful english dictionary

  • yawn — /yawn/, v.i. 1. to open the mouth somewhat involuntarily with a prolonged, deep inhalation and sighing or heavy exhalation, as from drowsiness or boredom. 2. to open wide like a mouth. 3. to extend or stretch wide, as an open and deep space. v.t …   Universalium

  • yawn — yawn·ful; yawn; yawn·er; yawn·ful·ly; …   English syllables

  • yawn|y — «YAW nee», adjective, yawn|i|er, yawn|i|est. characterized by a yawn or yawns; inclined to yawning: »There were those first few unbelievable steps when you are nervously tired and yawny and must learn…the easy rhythm (Harper s) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Yawn — Yawn, n. 1. An involuntary act, excited by drowsiness, etc., consisting of a deep and long inspiration following several successive attempts at inspiration, the mouth, fauces, etc., being wide open. [1913 Webster] One person yawning in company… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • yawn — [yôn] vi. [ME yanen, prob. merging OE ginian & ganian, to gape, akin to Ger gähnen < IE base * ĝhei , to gape, prob. echoic of the yawning sound > Gr chainein, L hiare, to gape] 1. to open the mouth wide, esp. involuntarily, and breathe in… …   English World dictionary

  • yawn — [v] open mouth wide, usually sign of fatigue catch flies*, divide, doze, drowse, expand, gap, gape, give, nap, part, sleep, snooze, spread, yaw, yawp*; concepts 163,185 …   New thesaurus

  • yawn — ► VERB 1) involuntarily open one s mouth wide and inhale deeply due to tiredness or boredom. 2) (yawning) wide open: a yawning chasm. ► NOUN 1) an act of yawning. 2) informal a boring or tedious thing or event. ORIGIN Ol …   English terms dictionary

  • Yawn — Yawning redirects here. For the fish species, see Yawning (fish). Joseph Ducreux pandiculating; self portrait ca. 1783 A yawn is a reflex of simultaneous inhalation of air and stretching of the eardrums, followed by exhalation of breath. P …   Wikipedia

  • yawn — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ big, deep, huge ▪ loud, noisy ▪ stifled ▪ collective (figurative …   Collocations dictionary

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