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Gape

//ˈɡeɪp// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An act of gaping; a yawn. countable, uncommon, uncountable

    "Now a gen'ral gape goes round, And vapours cloud each sleepy head."

  2. 2
    a stare of amazement (usually with the mouth open) wordnet
  3. 3
    A large opening. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    an expression of openmouthed astonishment wordnet
  5. 5
    A disease in poultry caused by gapeworm in the windpipe, a symptom of which is frequent gaping. uncountable
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  1. 6
    The width of an opening. countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    The maximum opening of the mouth (of a bird, fish, etc.) when it is open. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To open the mouth wide, especially involuntarily, as in a yawn, anger, or surprise. intransitive

    "1723, Jonathan Swift, The Journal of a Modern Lady, 1810, Samuel Johnson, The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper, Volume 11, page 467, She stretches, gapes, unglues her eyes, / And asks if it be time to rise;"

  2. 2
    look with amazement; look stupidly wordnet
  3. 3
    To stare in wonder. intransitive

    "Home I vvould go, / But that my Dores are hatefull to my eyes. / Fill'd and damm'd up vvith gaping Creditors, / VVatchfull as Fovvlers vvhen their Game vvill ſpring; […]"

  4. 4
    be wide open wordnet
  5. 5
    To open wide; to display a gap. intransitive

    "The wound was gaping open and losing too much blood."

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  1. 6
    To open the passage to the vomeronasal organ, analogous to the flehming in other animals. intransitive
  2. 7
    To depict a dilated anal or vaginal cavity upon penetrative sexual activity.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English gapen, from Old Norse gapa (“to gape”) (compare Swedish gapa, Danish gabe), from Proto-Germanic *gapōną (descendants Middle English geapen, Dutch gapen, German gaffen), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰеh₂b-. Cognates include Russian зяпа (zjapa). Doublet of gap.

Etymology 2

From Middle English gapen, from Old Norse gapa (“to gape”) (compare Swedish gapa, Danish gabe), from Proto-Germanic *gapōną (descendants Middle English geapen, Dutch gapen, German gaffen), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰеh₂b-. Cognates include Russian зяпа (zjapa). Doublet of gap.

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