yawn

¹yawn

verb \ˈyȯn, ˈyän\

Definition of YAWN

intransitive verb

1

: to open wide : gape

2

: to open the mouth wide and take a deep breath usually as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom

transitive verb

1

: to utter with a yawn

2

: to accomplish with or impel by yawns <his grandchildren yawned him to bed — L. L. King>

Examples of YAWN

1. Students were yawning in class.

Origin of YAWN

Middle English yenen, yanen, from Old English ginian; akin to Old High German ginēn to yawn, Latin hiare, Greek chainein

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with YAWN

ban, Bonn, chon, con, conn, dawn, don, Don, drawn, faun, fawn, gone, guan, Jon, khan, maun, mon, on, pan, pawn, prawn, Shan, spawn, swan, wan, yon, yuan

²yawn

noun

Definition of YAWN

1

: gap, cavity

2

: an opening of the mouth wide while taking a deep breath often as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom; also : a reaction resembling a yawn <a … success at the box office but drew only yawns from critics — Current Biography>

3

: ⁵bore <this book is kind of a yawn — Ilene L. Cooper>

Examples of YAWN

1. I tried to stifle a yawn.
2. <as neither candidate was willing to make an unequivocal statement about anything, the debate proved to be a complete yawn>

First Known Use of YAWN

1602

Related to YAWN

Synonyms

bore, drip, droner, dullsville, nudnik (also nudnick), snooze, snoozer, drag, yawner

Related Words

bummer, downer; bromide, pill

Near Antonyms

blast, gas [slang], kick, rush, upper