verb (used without object)
- to open the mouth somewhat involuntarily with a prolonged, deep inhalation and sighing or heavy exhalation, as from drowsiness or boredom.
- to open wide like a mouth.
- to extend or stretch wide, as an open and deep space.
verb (used with object)
- to say with a yawn.
- Archaic. to open wide, or lay open, as if by yawning.
noun
- an act or instance of yawning.
- an opening; open space; chasm.
- Also yawner. Informal. something so boring as to make one yawn: Critics say the new fashions are one big yawn.
verb
- (intr) to open the mouth wide and take in air deeply, often as in involuntary reaction to tiredness, sleepiness, or boredom
- (tr) to express or utter while yawning
- (intr) to be open wide as if threatening to engulf (someone or something)the mine shaft yawned below
noun
- the act or an instance of yawning
v.c.1300, yenen, yonen, from Old English ginian, gionian “open the mouth wide, gape,” from Proto-Germanic *gin- (cf. Old Norse gina “to yawn,” Dutch geeuwen, Old High German ginen, German gähnen “to yawn”), from PIE *ghai- “to yawn, gape” (cf. Old Church Slavonic zijajo “to gape,” Lithuanian zioju, Czech zivati “to yawn,” Greek khainein, Latin hiare “to yawn, gape,” Sanskrit vijihite “to gape, be ajar”). Related: Yawned; yawning. n.“act of yawning,” 1690s, from yawn (v.). Meaning “boring thing” is attested from 1889. v.
- To open the mouth wide with a deep inhalation, usually involuntarily from drowsiness, fatigue, or boredom.
n.
- The act of yawning.