Gaping

Gaping
Gape Gape (g[aum]p; in Eng, commonly g[=a]p; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Gaped} (g[aum]pt or g[=a]pt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gaping}] [OE. gapen, AS. geapan to open; akin to D. gapen to gape, G. gaffen, Icel. & Sw. gapa, Dan. gabe; cf. Skr. jabh to snap at, open the mouth. Cf. {Gaby}, {Gap}.] 1. To open the mouth wide; as: (a) Expressing a desire for food; as, young birds gape. --Dryden. (b) Indicating sleepiness or indifference; to yawn. [1913 Webster]

She stretches, gapes, unglues her eyes, And asks if it be time to rise. --Swift. [1913 Webster] (c) Showing unselfconsciousness in surprise, astonishment, expectation, etc. [1913 Webster]

With gaping wonderment had stared aghast. --Byron. (d) Manifesting a desire to injure, devour, or overcome. [1913 Webster]

They have gaped upon me with their mouth. --Job xvi. 10. [1913 Webster]

2. To open or part widely; to exhibit a gap, fissure, or hiatus. [1913 Webster]

May that ground gape and swallow me alive! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. To long, wait eagerly, or cry aloud for something; -- with for, after, or at. [1913 Webster]

The hungry grave for her due tribute gapes. --Denham.

Syn: To gaze; stare; yawn. See {Gaze}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • gaping — index open (unclosed), penetrable Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • gaping — 1570s (implied in gapingly), prp. adj. from GAPE (Cf. gape) (v.) …   Etymology dictionary

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  • gaping — gap·ing (gāʹpĭng) adj. Deep and wide open: a gaping wound; a gaping hole.   gapʹing·ly adv. * * * …   Universalium

  • gaping — gap|ing [ geıpıŋ ] adjective a gaping hole or space is very large: a gaping wound …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • gaping — UK [ˈɡeɪpɪŋ] / US adjective a gaping hole or space is very large a gaping wound …   English dictionary

  • gaping — adjective Date: 1588 wide open < a gaping hole > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • gaping — 1) the act of opening the gape 2) parting of fish flakes as the connective tissues break down. Roundfish gape more than flatfish and some species, e.g. ling, Molva molva and wolffishes, Anarhichas rarely gape. Gaping reduces market value …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • gaping — adjective Wide open. a gaping hole …   Wiktionary

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