See Also: gape(medicine)
gape(1)(dictionary)
gape(2)(dictionary)
gape(dictionary)
gape-seed(dictionary)

gape(2) (iou)



gape verb. ME.
[Old Norse gapa (Swedish gapa, Danish gabe) = Middle & mod. Dutch gapen, Middle & mod. High German gaffen.]
a. verb intrans. Open the mouth wide, esp. in order to bite or swallow something. Also, (of the mouth) open wide. ME.
R. Holme Such Fellows..are fed..as long as they can gape.
b. verb trans. Open (the mouth) wide. rare. M17.
verb intrans. Stare open-mouthed; gaze at in wonder or admiration. (Foll. by at, on, upon.) ME.
A. J. Cronin She left the local inhabitants gaping by a display of trick riding. R. Davies They gaped at the curiosities of the World of Wonders.
verb trans. & intrans. Be eager to obtain, have a longing for (something). (Foll. by after, for, at, upon.) Now rare. ME.
b. verb intrans. Desire eagerly to do. Now rare. ME.
verb intrans. Of earth, hell, etc.: be or become wide open; yawn. Also, of a wound, an oyster, etc.: split, part, open. LME.
B. Googe The ground gapes with the heate of the Sunne. Tennyson A gulf that ever shuts and gapes. J. K. Jerome A clean-cut wound that gapes wide. fig.: R. Macaulay When the years have all passed, there will gape the..dark void of death.
verb intrans. Of a person: yawn, esp. from weariness. LME.
b. Of a dead body: have the mouth open. LME-M16.
verb intrans. Gasp from pain, heat, etc. LME-L16.
verb intrans. Bawl, shout. obsolete exc. dial. L16.
gaping noun (a) the action of the verb; (b) a deep opening or chasm in the earth: LME.
gapingly adverb with open mouth, eagerly, amazedly L16.