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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

yawn       (yôn)  Pronunciation Key  v.   yawned, yawn·ing, yawns v.   intr. To open the mouth wide with a deep inhalation, usually involuntarily from drowsiness, fatigue, or boredom. To open wide; gape: The chasm yawned at our feet. v.   tr. To utter wearily, while or as if while yawning: yawned his disapproval of the silly venture. n.   The act of yawning. A fatigued or bored response. Informal One that provokes yawns; a bore: The movie was nothing more than one big yawn. [Middle English yanen, alteration of yonen, yenen, from Old English geonian.] yawn'er n.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
yawn  (v.)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

yawn
noun
1.	an involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth; usually triggered by fatigue or boredom; "he could not suppress a yawn"; "the yawning in the audience told him it was time to stop"; "he apologized for his oscitancy"
verb
1.	utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired; "The child yawned during the long performance"
2.	be wide open; "the deep gaping canyon" [syn: gape]

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

yawn (yôn)
v. yawned, yawn·ing, yawns
To open the mouth wide with a deep inhalation, usually involuntarily from drowsiness, fatigue, or boredom. n.
The act of yawning.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Yawn

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 yawn, gin the mouth, OSlav. zijati to yawn, L. hiare to gape, yawn; and perhaps to E. begin, cf. Gr. cheia` a hole. [root]47b. Cf. Begin, Gin to begin, Hiatus.]

1. To open the mouth involuntarily through drowsiness, dullness, or fatigue; to gape; to oscitate. "The lazy, yawning drone." --Shak.

And while above he spends his breath, The yawning audience nod beneath. --Trumbull.

2. To open wide; to gape, as if to allow the entrance or exit of anything.

't is now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn. --Shak.

3. To open the mouth, or to gape, through surprise or bewilderment. --Shak.

4. To be eager; to desire to swallow anything; to express desire by yawning; as, to yawn for fat livings. "One long, yawning gaze." --Landor.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

One person yawning in company will produce a spontaneous yawn in all present. --N. Chipman.

2. The act of opening wide, or of gaping. --Addison.

3. A chasm, mouth, or passageway. [R.]

Now gape the graves, and trough their yawns let loose Imprisoned spirits. --Marston.