yawn Meaning, Definition & Usage

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

WordNet

Yawn intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. yanien, ýanien, ganien, gonien, AS. ganian; akin to ginian to yawn, ginan to yawn, open wide, G. gähnen to yawn, OHG. ginen, gein&omac;n, Icel. gina to yawn, gin the mouth, OSlav. zijati to yawn, L. hiare to gape, yawn; and perhaps to E. begin, cf. Gr. a hole. b. Cf. Begin, Gin to begin, Hiatus.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Yawned ; present participle & verbal noun Yawning
Definitions
  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.
Yawn noun
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913