gape
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
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a wide opening; gap; breach.
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an act or instance of gaping.
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a stare, as in astonishment or with the mouth wide open.
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a yawn.
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Zoology. the width of the open mouth.
verb
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to stare in wonder or amazement, esp with the mouth open
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to open the mouth wide, esp involuntarily, as in yawning or hunger
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to be or become wide open
the crater gaped under his feet
noun
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the act of gaping
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a wide opening; breach
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the width of the widely opened mouth of a vertebrate
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a stare or expression of astonishment
Related Words
See gaze.
Other Word Forms
- gapingly adverb
- subgape verb (used without object)
- ungaping adjective
Etymology
Origin of gape
1175–1225; Middle English, from Old Norse gapa “to open the mouth wide”; compare German gaffen
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Far out in the desert, the researchers gaped at the six-foot-long femur, the jaw, teeth, and base of the crest.
From Barron's
They say that the gaping revenue disparity between big-market teams like the two-time defending champion Dodgers and their small-market counterparts has hurt competitive balance and alienated fans.
The audience listened with “gaping ears” to the eerie sounds.
From Literature
They were still gaping open from my arrival.
From Literature
He replied, “The vacuum” — the gaping void where his career used to be.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
