yearn
verbnounverbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//jɜːn//
- United States//jɝn//
To have a strong desire for something or to do something; to long for or to do something.
verb
- 1
figurativeTo have a strong desire for something or to do something; to long for or to do something.
All I yearn for is a simple life.
I muſt do that my heart-ſtrings yern to do: but my word's paſt.
You are now before my eyes, my eyes that are ready to flow with tenderness, but cannot give relief to my gushing heart, that dictates what I am now saying, and yearns to tell you all its achings.
By morning's cheerful glow, but oftener still by evening's gentle light, the child, with a respect for the short and happy intercourse of these two sisters which forbade her to approach and say a thankful word, although she yearned to do so, followed them at a distance in their walks and rambles, […]
- 2
figurativeTo have a strong desire for something or to do something; to long for or to do something. To long for something in the past with melancholy or nostalgia.
If I don’t go now, thought Charlotte, I shall have lost a chance which I shall eternally regret and yearn after.
Having shaken the dust of the ugly new South Africa from his feet, is he yearning for the South Africa of the old days, when Eden was still possible?
- 3
Of music, words, etc.: to express strong desire or longing.
The music, yearning like a God in pain, / She scarcely heard: […]
- 4
datedTo have strong feelings of affection, love, sympathy, etc., toward someone.
And Joſeph made haſte: for his bowels did yerne upon his brother: and he ſought where to weepe, and hee entred into his chamber, & wept there.
I have left your mother in the next room. Her heart yearns towards you.
Oh, it was a pretty sight to see this modest young creature, little more than a child herself, anticipating maternity, but blushing every now and then, and looking askant at her lord and master. How his very bowels yearned over her!
[…] Mr. Ratcliffe’s heart yearned toward the charming girl quite with the sensations of a father, or even of an elder brother.
- 5
obsoleteTo be distressed or pained; to grieve; to mourn.
My father’s and my uncle Toby’s hearts yearn’d with ſympathy for the poor fellow’s diſtreſs,—[…]
- 6
Often followed by out: to perform (music) which conveys or say (words) which express strong desire or longing.
- 7
archaicTo have a strong desire or longing (for something or to do something).
- 8
obsoleteTo cause (someone) to have strong feelings of affection, love, sympathy, etc.; also, to grieve or pain (someone).
Well, ſhe laments Sir for it, that it would yern your heart to see it: […]
It yernes me not, if men my Garments weare; / Nor care I who doth feed vpon my coſt: / Such outward things dwell not in my deſires. / But if it be a ſinne to couet Honor, / I am the moſt offending Soule aliue.
When the badger finds that the terriers yearn him in his burrow, he will stop the hole between him and the terriers; […]
Wants to sneeze and cannot do it! / Now it yearns me, thrills me, stings me, / Now with rapturous torment wrings me, / Now says “Sneeze, you fool; get through it.”
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English yernen, yern (“to express or feel desire; to desire, long or wish for; to lust after; to ask or demand for”) [and other forms], from Old English ġeornan (“to desire, yearn; to beg”) [and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *girnijan (“to be eager for, desire”), from Proto-Germanic *girnijaną (“to desire, want”), from *gernaz (“eager, willing”) (from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- (“to yearn for”)) + *-janą (suffix forming factitive verbs from adjectives). The noun is derived from the verb.
noun
- 1
A strong desire or longing; a yearning, a yen.
[object Object]
Gibbs now said he wasn't going to pull any punches with Gary when he knew how jealous a man could get, so he also wanted to tell him that Phil Hansen was reputed to have a yearn for attractive ladies.
"After he had made a record date with us in 1935, I always had a yearn for Ben," he said years later.
"My guess, however, is that it has because there are many people who have a yearn for sex outside their relationship but wouldn't have the slightest idea about how to do it or do it safely," Prof Schwartz added.
verb
- 1
Of milk: to curdle, especially in the cheesemaking process.
- 2
Of cheese: to be made from curdled milk.
- 3
To curdle (milk), especially in the cheesemaking process.
- 4
To make (cheese) from curdled milk.
Also his Honour the Duke will accept ane of our Dunlop cheeses, and it sall be my faut if a better was ever yearned in Lowden.
Etymology
Probably either: * a variant of earn (“to curdle, as milk”) (though this word is attested later), from Middle English erne, ernen (“to coagulate, congeal”) (chiefly South Midlands) [and other forms], a metathetic variant of rennen (“to run; to coagulate, congeal”), from Old English rinnan (“to run”) (with the variants iernan, irnan) and Old Norse rinna (“to move quickly, run; of liquid: to flow, run; to melt”), both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to move, stir; to rise, spring”); or * a back-formation from yearning (“(Scotland, archaic) rennet; calf (or other animal’s) stomach used to make rennet”).
Forms
- plural
- yearns
- past tense
- yearned, yearnt
- past participle
- yearned, yearnt
- present participle
- yearning
- third person singular
- yearns
yearn · To have a strong desire for something or to do something; to long for or to do something.
yearning · A wistful or melancholy longing.years · A very long time.yeast · An often humid, yellowish froth produced by fermenting malt…