yawn

/jɔ:n/

Thân thiện

The child yawns during the long car ride.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • An involuntary act of opening one's mouth wide and inhaling deeply, typically due to tiredness, boredom, or drowsiness.
   • (Figuratively) A wide opening or gap.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To open the mouth wide and take a deep breath involuntarily, usually when tired or bored.
   • To be wide open; to gape.

3. Verb (transitive):

   • To say something while yawning or with a yawn.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • She tried to hide her yawn behind her hand during the meeting.
  • The yawn of the canyon was breathtaking.

• Verb (intransitive):

  • I yawn every time I read that boring report.
  • The pit yawned dark and deep before them.

• Verb (transitive):

  • "I'm exhausted," he yawned, stretching his arms.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Physiological and Social Aspect: A yawn is often considered a sign of fatigue or lack of interest, but it can also be a reflexive response to seeing others yawn (contagious yawning).
• Figurative Use: Describing something that is vast, wide, and often empty or intimidating.
  • The yawning chasm between the rich and the poor is a serious issue.

Variants and Related Words

• Yawning (adjective): Wide open; gaping.
  • The yawning entrance to the cave was shrouded in mist.
• Yawner (noun, informal): Something that is extremely boring.
  • That lecture was a real yawner.

Synonyms

• Noun: Gape, oscitancy (formal).
• Verb (to open wide): Gape, open wide.
• Verb (to be boring): Bore, drag on.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To yawn one's head off: To yawn repeatedly and very widely.
  • After the long flight, I was yawning my head off.
• A yawn-inducing...: Used to describe something that causes boredom.
  • It was a yawn-inducing speech that lasted for hours.

Học thuật

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. be wide open
   • the deep gaping canyon
2. utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
   • The child yawned during the long performance

Từ đồng nghĩa

• yawning
• oscitance
• oscitancy
• gape
• yaw