gape

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

gape, v. i. [OE. gapen, AS. geapan to open; akin to D. gapen to gape, G. gaffen, Icel. & Sw. gapa, Dan. gabe; cf. Skr. jabh to snap at, open the mouth. Cf. Gaby, Gap.].

•  To open the mouth wide  [1913 Webster]

  "She stretches, gapes, unglues her eyes,
  And asks if it be time to rise."  [1913 Webster]

  "With gaping wonderment had stared aghast."

  "They have gaped upon me with their mouth."  [1913 Webster]
•  To open or part widely; to exhibit a gap, fissure, or hiatus.  [1913 Webster]

  "May that ground gape and swallow me alive!"  [1913 Webster]
•  To long, wait eagerly, or cry aloud for something; -- with for, after, or at.  [1913 Webster]

  "The hungry grave for her due tribute gapes."

Syn. -- To gaze; stare; yawn. See Gaze.

gape, n. 

•  The act of gaping; a yawn.  Addison.  [1913 Webster]
•  The width of the mouth when opened, as of birds, fishes, etc.  [1913 Webster]

The gapes. (a) A fit of yawning. (b) A disease of young poultry and other birds, attended with much gaping. It is caused by a parasitic nematode worm (Syngamus trachealis), in the windpipe, which obstructs the breathing. See Gapeworm.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

gape, v. & n.
--v.intr.
1 a open one's mouth wide, esp. in amazement or wonder. b be or become wide open.
2 (foll. by at) gaze curiously or wondrously.
3 split; part asunder.
4 yawn.
--n.
1 an open-mouthed stare.
2 a yawn.
3 (in pl.; prec. by the) a a disease of birds with gaping as a symptom, caused by infestation with gapeworm. b joc. a fit of yawning.
4 a an expanse of open mouth or beak. b the part of a beak that opens.
5 a rent or opening.

Derivative

gapingly adv.

Etymology

ME f. ON gapa

THESAURUS

gape

abysm, abyss, aperture, arroyo, attend, be amazed, be astonished, be curious, bedroom eyes, bore, box canyon, breach, break, broaching, burn with curiosity, canyon, cavity, chap, chasm, check, chimney, chink, clearing, cleft, cleuch, clough, col, come-hither look, coulee, couloir, crack, crane, crane the neck, cranny, crevasse, crevice, cut, cwm, defile, dehisce, dehiscence, dell, dig around for, dig up, dike, disclosure, ditch, donga, draw, evil eye, excavation, eye, fault, fenestra, fissure, fistula, flaw, flume, fontanel, foramen, fracture, furrow, gap, gaping, gash, gat, gaup, gawk, gaze, gaze open-mouthed, glad eye, glare, gloat, glower, glowering look, goggle, gorge, groove, gulch, gulf, gully, hang open, hiatus, hole, hollow, incision, inlet, inquire, interrogate, interval, joint, kloof, lacuna, laying open, leak, look, look at, look on, malocchio, marvel, moat, nose around for, nose out, notch, nullah, ogle, opening, opening up, orifice, oscitancy, oscitate, oscitation, outlet, pandiculation, part, pass, passage, passageway, peer, penetrating look, pore, query, question, quiz, ravine, rent, rift, rime, rubber, rubberneck, rupture, scissure, seam, seek, slit, slot, space, split, stand aghast, stand on tiptoe, stare, stare at, stare down, stare hard, stare openmouthed, stoma, take in, the gapes, throwing open, trench, uncorking, unstopping, valley, void, wadi, want to know, watch, yaw, yawn, yawning

ROGET THESAURUS

gape

Interval

VB gape.

Wonder

VB wonder, marvel, admire, be surprised, start, stare, open one's eyes, rub one's eyes, turn up one's eyes, gloar, gape, open one's mouth, hold one's breath, look aghast, stand aghast, stand agog, look blank, tombe des nues, not believe one's eyes, not believe one's ears, not believe one's senses, not be able to account for, not know whether one stands on one's head or one's, surprise, astonish, amaze, astound, dumfound, dumfounder, startle, dazzle, daze, strike, strike with wonder, strike with awe, electrify, stun, stupefy, petrify, confound, bewilder, flabbergast, stagger, throw on one's beam ends, fascinate, turn the head, take away one's breath, strike dumb, make one's hair stand on end, make one's tongue cleave to the roof of one's mout, make one stare, take by surprise, be wonderful, beggar description, beggar the imagination, baffle description, stagger belief.

Opening

VB open, ope, gape, yawn, bilge, fly open, perforate, pierce, empierce, tap, bore, drill, mine, tunnel, transpierce, transfix, enfilade, impale, spike, spear, gore, spit, stab, pink, puncture, lance, stick, prick, riddle, punch, stave in, cut a passage through, make way for, make room for, uncover, unclose, unrip, lay open, cut open, rip open, throw open, pop open, blow open, pry open, tear open, pull open.

Curiosity

VB be curious, take an interest in, stare, gape, prick up the ears, see sights, lionize, pry, nose, rubberneck.