yearn
pronunciation
How to pronounce yearn in British English:
UK [jɜːn]
How to pronounce yearn in American English:
US [jɜːrn]
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- Verb:
- desire strongly or persistently
- have a desire for something or someone who is not present
- have affection for; feel tenderness for
Word Origin
- yearn
- yearn: see eucharist
- yearn (v.)
- Old English giernan (West Saxon), geornan (Mercian), giorna (Northumbrian) "to strive, be eager, desire, seek for, beg, demand," from Proto-Germanic *gernjan (cognates: Gothic gairnjan "to desire," German begehren "to desire;" Old High German gern, Old Norse gjarn "desirous," Old English georn "eager, desirous," German gern "gladly, willingly"), from PIE root *gher- (5) "to like, want" (see hortatory). Related: Yearned; yearning.
Example
- 1. You yearn to be not merely richer , but richer than your neighbours .
- 2. That is why , from china to india , companies yearn to graduate beyond mere metal-bashing .
- 3. Plenty of independent voters , and this newspaper , yearn for a more pragmatic republican party .
- 4. For those who yearn for america to have a sensible immigration policy , the arizona bill is a reason for both despair and hope .
- 5. I could see how a girl with gumption like srey neth , unschooled and na ve , could yearn to get away .