Word Study
yawn
CIDE DICTIONARY
yawn, v. i. [OE. yanien, \'f4anien, ganien, gonien, AS. gānian; akin to ginian to yawn, gīnan to yawn, open wide, G. gähnen to yawn, OHG. gin, gein, Icel. gīna to yawn, gin the mouth, OSlav. zijati to yawn, L. hiare to gape, yawn; and perhaps to E. begin, cf. Gr. cheia` a hole. b. Cf. Begin, Gin to begin, Hiatus.].
- To open the mouth involuntarily through drowsiness, dullness, or fatigue; to gape; to oscitate. Shak. [1913 Webster]"And while above he spends his breath,
The yawning audience nod beneath." [1913 Webster] - To open wide; to gape, as if to allow the entrance or exit of anything. [1913 Webster]"'t is now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn." [1913 Webster] - To open the mouth, or to gape, through surprise or bewilderment. Shak. [1913 Webster]
- To be eager; to desire to swallow anything; to express desire by yawning; as, to yawn for fat livings. Landor. [1913 Webster]
yawn, n.
- 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 will produce a spontaneous yawn in all present." [1913 Webster]
- The act of opening wide, or of gaping. Addison. [1913 Webster]
- A chasm, mouth, or passageway. [1913 Webster]"Now gape the graves, and trough their yawns let loose
Imprisoned spirits." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
yawn, v. & n.
--v.
1 intr. (as a reflex) open the mouth wide and inhale esp. when sleepy or bored.
2 intr. (of a chasm etc.) gape, be wide open.
3 tr. utter or say with a yawn.
--n.
1 an act of yawning.
2 colloq. a boring or tedious idea, activity, etc.
--v.
1 intr. (as a reflex) open the mouth wide and inhale esp. when sleepy or bored.
2 intr. (of a chasm etc.) gape, be wide open.
3 tr. utter or say with a yawn.
--n.
1 an act of yawning.
2 colloq. a boring or tedious idea, activity, etc.
Derivative
yawner n. yawningly adv.
Etymology
OE ginian, geonian
THESAURUS
yawn
aperture, boredom, broaching, cavity, chasm, check, clearing, cleft, crack, dehisce, dehiscence, disclosure, doldrums, doze, drowse, ennui, fenestra, fistula, fontanel, foramen, gap, gape, gaping, gat, gulf, hang open, hiatus, hole, hollow, inlet, interval, lacuna, laying open, leak, nap, opening, opening up, orifice, oscitancy, oscitate, oscitation, outlet, pandiculation, passageway, pore, slot, snooze, space, split, stoma, the gapes, throwing open, uncorking, unstopping, yaw, yawningROGET THESAURUS
yawn
Inactivity
VB be inactive, do nothing, move slowly, let the grass grow under one's feet, take one's time, dawdle, drawl, droil, lag, hang back, slouch, loll, lollop, lounge, poke, loaf, loiter, go to sleep over, sleep at one's post, ne battre que d'une aile, take it easy, take things as they come, lead an easy life, vegetate, swim with the stream, eat the bread of idleness, loll in the lap of luxury, loll in the lap of indolence, waste time, consume time, kill time, lose time, burn daylight, waste the precious hours, idle away time, trifle away time, fritter away time, fool away time, spend time in, take time in, peddle, piddle, potter, pudder, dabble, faddle fribble, fiddle-faddle, dally, dilly-dally, sleep, slumber, be asleep, hibernate, oversleep, sleep like a top, sleep like a log, sleep like a dormouse, sleep soundly, heavily, doze, drowze, snooze, nap, take a nap, dream, snore one's best, settle to sleep, go to sleep, go off to sleep, doze off, drop off, fall asleep, drop asleep, close the eyes, seal up the eyes, seal up eyelids, weigh down the eyelids, get sleep, nod, yawn, go to bed, turn, get some z's, stack z's, languish, expend itself, flag, hang fire, relax, render idle, sluggardize, mitigate.Fatigue
VB be fatigued, yawn, droop, sink, flag, lose breath, lose wind, gasp, pant, puff, blow, drop, swoon, faint, succumb, fatigue, tire, weary, irk, flag, jade, harass, exhaust, knock up, wear out, prostrate, tax, task, strain, overtask, overwork, overburden, overtax, overstrain.Weariness
VB weary, tire, bore, bore to death, weary to death, tire to death, bore out of one's skull, bore out of one's life, weary out of one's life, tire out of one's life, bore out of all patience, weary out of all patience, wear out one's patience, tire out of all patience, set to sleep, send to sleep, buttonhole, pall, sicken, nauseate, disgust, harp on the same string, drag its slow length along, drag its weary length along, never hear the last of, be tired of, be sick of, be tired with, yawn, die with ennui, MEGO, my eyes glaze over.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.For further exploring for "yawn" in Webster Dictionary Online
