Yearn \Yearn\ (y[~e]rn), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Yearned; p. pr. &
vb. n. Yearning.]
[Also earn, ern; probably a corruption of
OE. ermen to grieve, AS. ierman, yrman, or geierman, geyrman,
fr. earm wretched, poor; akin to D. & G. arm, Icel. armr,
Goth. arms. The y- in English is perhaps due to the AS. ge
(see Y-).]
To pain; to grieve; to vex. [Obs.]
``She laments, sir, for
it, that it would yearn your heart to see it.'' --Shak.
It yearns me not if men my garments wear. --Shak.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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Yearn \Yearn\, v. i. [OE. yernen, [yogh]ernen, [yogh]eornen, AS.
geornian, gyrnan, fr. georn desirous, eager; akin to OS. gern
desirous, girnean, gernean, to desire, D. gaarne gladly,
willingly, G. gern, OHG. gerno, adv., gern, a., G. gier
greed, OHG. gir[=i] greed, ger desirous, ger[=o]n to desire,
G. begehren, Icel. girna to desire, gjarn eager, Goth.
fa['i]huga['i]rns covetous, ga['i]rnjan to desire, and
perhaps to Gr. chai`rein to rejoice, be glad, Skr. hary to
desire, to like. [root]33.]
To be filled with longing desire; to be harassed or rendered
uneasy with longing, or feeling the want of a thing; to
strain with emotions of affection or tenderness; to long; to
be eager.
Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his
brother; and he sought where to weep. --Gen. xliii.
30.
Your mother's heart yearns towards you. --Addison.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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