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intr.v. gaped, gap·ing, gapes 1. To open the mouth wide. 2. To stare wonderingly or stupidly, often with the mouth open. See Synonyms at gaze. 3. To be or become open or wide: Holes gaped in the ceiling. n. 1. The act or an instance of gaping: a scoring move that elicited gapes from her teammates. 2. A large opening: a gape in the sail. 3. a. The mouth, especially when open. b. Zoology The width of the space between the open jaws or mandibles of a vertebrate. 4. gapes (used with a sing. verb) A disease of birds, especially young domesticated chickens and turkeys, caused by gapeworms and resulting in obstructed breathing. 5. gapes A fit of yawning. [Middle English gapen, from Old Norse gapa.] |
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