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)