yawn

- 6 dictionary results

yawn

[yawn]

–verb (used without object)

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.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to say with a yawn.

5.	Archaic. to open wide, or lay open, as if by yawning.

–noun

6.	an act or instance of yawning.

7.	an opening; open space; chasm.

8.	Also, yawner. Informal. something so boring as to make one yawn: Critics say the new fashions are one big yawn.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME yanen, yonen (v.), alter. of yenen, OE ge(o)nian; akin to OE gānian, ginan, ON gīna, G gähnen, L hiāre (see hiatus ), Gk chaínein to gape (see chasm )

Synonyms:
1–3. gape.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To yawn

yawn (yôn)

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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Word Origin & History

yawn (v.)

c.1300, yenen, yonen, from O.E. ginian, gionian "open the mouth wide, gape," from P.Gmc. *gin- (cf. O.N. gina "to yawn," Du. geeuwen, O.H.G. ginen, Ger. gähnen "to yawn"), from PIE *gh(e)i- (cf. O.C.S. zijajo "to gape," Lith. zioju, Czech zivati "to yawn," Gk. khainein, L. hiare "to yawn, gape," Skt. vijihite "to gape, be ajar"). Noun meaning "act of yawning" is recorded from 1697. Yawner "something boring" is Amer.Eng. slang first recorded 1942 (yawn in this sense is attested from 1889).

Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ¹yawn
Pronunciation: 'yon, 'yän
Function: intransitive verb
: to open the mouth wide and inhale deeply usually as an involuntaryreaction to fatigue or boredom

Main Entry: ²yawn
Function: noun
: a deep usually involuntary intake of breath through the wide open mouth often as an involuntary reaction to fatigue orboredom

Medical Dictionary

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.

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