1. To open the mouth wide, from sleepiness, drowsiness or dullness; to yawn.

2. To open the mouth for food, as young birds.

3. To gape for or after, to desire earnestly; to crave; to look and long for; as, men often gape after court favor.

The hungry grave for her due tribute gapes.

To gape at, in a like sense, is hardly correct.

4. To open in fissures or crevices; as a gaping rock.

May that ground gape, and swallow me alive.

5. To have a hiatus; as one vowel gaping on another.

6. To open the mouth in wonder or surprise; as the gaping fool; the gaping crowd.

7. To utter sound with open throat.

8. To open the mouth with hope or expectation.

9. To open the mouth with a desire to injure or devour.

They have gaped upon me with their mouth. Job 16.

, n. A gaping.