| yawn | 1. To open the mouth involuntarily through drowsiness, dullness, or fatigue; to gape; to oscitate. "The lazy, yawning drone." "And while above he spends his breath, The yawning audience nod beneath." (Trumbull) 2. To open wide; to gape, as if to allow the entrance or exit of anything. "'t is now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn." (Shak) 3. To open the mouth, or to gape, through surprise or bewilderment. 4. To be eager; to desire to swallow anything; to express desire by yawning; as, to yawn for fat livings. "One long, yawning gaze." Origin: OE. Yanien, yanien, ganien, gonien, AS. Ganian; akin to ginian to yawn, ginan to yawn, open wide, G. Gahnen to yawn, OHG. Ginen, geinon, Icel. Gina to yawn, gin the mouth, OSlav. Zijati to yawn, L. Hiare to gape, yawn; and perhaps to E. Begin, cf. Gr. Cheia a hole. B. Cf. Begin, Gin to begin, Hiatus. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| yawning | An involuntary deep inspiration with the mouth open, often accompanied by the act of stretching. (12 Dec 1998) |
| yaws | <medicine> A disease, occurring in the Antilles and in Africa, characterised by yellowish or reddish tumours, of a contagious character, which, in shape and appearance, often resemble currants, strawberries, or raspberries. There are several varieties of this disease, variously known as framboesia, pian, verrugas, and crab-yaws. Origin: African yaw a raspberry. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Yb | Symbol for ytterbium. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Ycp1 proteinase | <enzyme> The first cysteine proteinase isolated from yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae); homologous to mammalian bleomycin hydrolase Registry number: EC 3.4.22.- (26 Jun 1999) |
| YCR101 protein kinase | <enzyme> Mw 66,665 da; from saccharomyces cerevisiae; aa sequence given in first source Registry number: EC 2.7.1.- Synonym: ycr101 gene product, ycr101 protein (26 Jun 1999) |
| yd | Abbreviation for the measure of length, a yard. For example, an american football field is 100 yds. Long. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ye | The plural of the pronoun of the second person in the nominative case. "Ye ben to me right welcome heartily." (Chaucer) "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified." (1 Cor. Vi. 11) "This would cost you your life in case ye were a man." (Udall) In Old English ye was used only as a nominative, and you only as a dative or objective. In the 16th century, however, ye and you became confused and were often used interchangeably, both as nominatives and objectives, and you has now superseded ye except in solemn or poetic use. See You, and also the first Note under Thou. "Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye." (Shak) "I come, kind gentlemen, strange news to tell ye." (Dryden) Origin: OE. Ye, ye, nom. Pl, AS. Ge, gi; cf. OS. Ge, gi, OFries. Gi, i, D. Gij, Dan. & Sw. I, Icel. Er, OHG. Ir, G. Ihr, Goth. Jus, Lith. Jus, Gr. "ymei^s, Skr. Yuyam. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| yea | 1. Yes; ay; a word expressing assent, or an affirmative, or an affirmative answer to a question, now superseded by yes. See Yes. "Let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay." (Matt. V. 37) 2. More than this; not only so, but; used to mark the addition of a more specific or more emphatic clause. Cf. Nay. "I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." (Phil. I. 18) Yea sometimes introduces a clause, with the sense of indeed, verily, truly. "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Origin: OE. Ye, ya, ye, ya, AS. Gea; akin to OFries. Ge, i.e., OS, D, OHG, G, Dan. & Sw. Ja, Icel, ja, Goth. Ja, jai, and probably to Gr. "h^ truly, verily. Cf. Yes. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| year | 1. The time of the apparent revolution of the sun trough the ecliptic; the period occupied by the earth in making its revolution around the sun, called the astronomical year; also, a period more or less nearly agreeing with this, adopted by various nations as a measure of time, and called the civil year; as, the common lunar year of 354 days, still in use among the Mohammedans; the year of 360 days, etc. In common usage, the year consists of 365 days, and every fourth year (called bissextile, or leap year) of 366 days, a day being added to February on that year, on account of the excess above 365 days (see Bissextile). "Of twenty year of age he was, I guess." (Chaucer) The civil, or legal, year, in England, formerly commenced on the 25th of March. This practice continued throughout the British dominions till the year 1752. 2. The time in which any planet completes a revolution about the sun; as, the year of Jupiter or of Saturn. 3. Age, or old age; as, a man in years. Anomalistic year, the time of the earth's revolution from perihelion to perihelion again, which is 365 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes, and 48 seconds. A year's mind, a time to be allowed for an act or an event, in order that an entire year might be secured beyond all question. Year of grace, any year of the Christian era; Anno Domini; A. D. Or a. D. Origin: OE. Yer, yeer, yer, AS. Gear; akin to OFries. Ir, gr, D. Jaar, OHG. Jar, G. Jahr, Icel. Ar, Dan. Aar, Sw. Ar, Goth. Jr, Gr. A season of the year, springtime, a part of the day, an hour, a year, Zend yare year. Cf. Hour, Yore. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| yeara | <botany> The California poison oak (Rhus diversiloba). See Poison. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| yearling | <biology, zoology> A 1-year-old individual in its second year of life. (09 Oct 1997) |
| yearly | 1. Happening, accruing, or coming every year; annual; as, a yearly income; a yearly feast. 2. Lasting a year; as, a yearly plant. 3. Accomplished in a year; as, the yearly circuit, or revolution, of the earth. Origin: AS. Gearlic. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| yearn | To pain; to grieve; to vex. "She laments, sir, for it, that it would yearn your heart to see it." "It yearns me not if men my garments wear." (Shak) Origin: Also earn, ern; probably a corruption of OE. Ermen to grieve, AS. Ierman, yrman, or geierman, geyrman, fr. Earm wretched, poor; akin to D. & G. Arm, Icel. Armr, Goth. Arms. The y- in English is perhaps due to the AS. Ge. To be filled with longing desire; to be harassed or rendered uneasy with longing, or feeling the want of a thing; to strain with emotions of affection or tenderness; to long; to be eager. "Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother; and he sought where to weep." (Gen. Xliii. 30) "Your mother's heart yearns towards you." (Addison) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| yearnings | The maws, or stomachs, of young calves, used a rennet for curdling milk. Origin: Cf. AS. Geirnan, geyrnan, to rum. See 4th Earn. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |