Definition of yawn

What does the word yawn mean?

• part of speech: verb intransitive

  (Of chasm &c.) gape, be wide open, (a yawning gulf, rent, &c.; hell yawns for him), (of person or animal) open the mouth wide as effect of drowsiness, boredom, &c. (n., act of yawning); utter or say with a y. (yawned goodnight; \'What is the use?\' he yawned). Hence yawningly adv. [old English]