*gap*

‖n.; pl. Agapæ [ Gr. 'aga`ph love, pl. 'aga`pai. ] The love feast of the primitive Christians, being a meal partaken of in connection with the communion. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Physics) An air-filled gap in a magnetic or electric circuit; specif., in a dynamo or motor, the space between the field-magnet poles and the armature; clearance. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ OE. gap; cf. Icel. gap an empty space, Sw. gap mouth, breach, abyss, Dan. gab mouth, opening, AS. geap expanse; as adj., wide, spacious. See Gape. ] 1. An opening in anything made by breaking or parting; as, a gap in a fence; an opening for a passage or entrance; an opening which implies a breach or defect; a vacant space or time; a hiatus; a mountain pass. [ 1913 Webster ]

Miseries ensued by the opening of that gap. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

It would make a great gap in your own honor. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Aëronautics) The vertical distance between two superposed surfaces, esp. in a biplane. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Gap lathe (Mach.), a turning lathe with a deep notch in the bed to admit of turning a short object of large diameter. --
To stand in the gap, to expose one's self for the protection of something; to make defense against any assailing danger; to take the place of a fallen defender or supporter. --
To stop a gap, to secure a weak point; to repair a defect. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To notch, as a sword or knife. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make an opening in; to breach. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their masses are gapp'd with our grape. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Gaped p. pr. & vb. n. Gaping ] [ OE. gapen, AS. geapan to open; akin to D. gapen to gape, G. gaffen, Icel. & Sw. gapa, Dan. gabe; cf. Skr. jabh to snap at, open the mouth. Cf. Gaby, Gap. ] 1. To open the mouth wide; as: (a) Expressing a desire for food; as, young birds gape. Dryden. (b) Indicating sleepiness or indifference; to yawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

She stretches, gapes, unglues her eyes,
And asks if it be time to rise. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) Showing unselfconsciousness in surprise, astonishment, expectation, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

With gaping wonderment had stared aghast. Byron.

(d) Manifesting a desire to injure, devour, or overcome. [ 1913 Webster ]

They have gaped upon me with their mouth. Job xvi. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To open or part widely; to exhibit a gap, fissure, or hiatus. [ 1913 Webster ]

May that ground gape and swallow me alive! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To long, wait eagerly, or cry aloud for something; -- with for, after, or at. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hungry grave for her due tribute gapes. Denham.

Syn. -- To gaze; stare; yawn. See Gaze. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of gaping; a yawn. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The width of the mouth when opened, as of birds, fishes, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gapes. (a) A fit of yawning. (b) A disease of young poultry and other birds, attended with much gaping. It is caused by a parasitic nematode worm (Syngamus trachealis), in the windpipe, which obstructs the breathing. See Gapeworm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who gapes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) A European fish. See 4th Comber. (b) A large edible clam (Schizothærus Nuttalli), of the Pacific coast; -- called also gaper clam. (c) An East Indian bird of the genus Cymbirhynchus, related to the broadbills. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See as the gapes, under gape, n.. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Any strange sight. Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person who looks or stares gapingly. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

To buy gapeseed, or
To sow gapeseed, to stare idly or in idle wonderment, instead of attending to business. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Act of gazing about; sightseeing. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The parasitic worm that causes the gapes in birds. See Illustration in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is an object of open-mouthed wonder. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was to be a gapingstock and a scorn to the young volunteers. Godwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having conspicuous interstices between the teeth; as, his gap-toothed grin. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. megalo`polis; me`gas, mega`lh, great + po`lis city. ] 1. A chief city; a very large cuity; a metropolis. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A region in which the suburbs of several large cities merge to form one large predominantly urbanized area. [ PJC ]

n. [ Mega- + Gr. fwnh` voice. ] A device to magnify sound, or direct it in a given direction in a greater volume, as a very large funnel used as an ear trumpet or as a speaking trumpet. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. me`gas great + fyto`n plant. ] (Paleon.) An extinct genus of tree ferns with large, two-ranked leaves, or fronds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Mega- + Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot. ] (Zool.) Any one of several species of large-footed, gallinaceous birds of the genera Megapodius and Leipoa, inhabiting Australia and other Pacific islands. Called also mound builder, scrub fowl, moundbird, and brush turkey. See Jungle fowl (b) under Jungle, and Leipoa. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. me`gas great + po`lis city. ] A metropolis. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. A genus of lemon sharks.
Syn. -- genus Negaprion. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n.; pl. Postzygapophyses [ NL. See Post-, and Zygapophysis. ] (Anat.) A posterior zygapophysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Anat.) Same as Prezygapophysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Prezygapophyses [ NL. See Pre-, and Zygapophysis. ] (Anat.) An anterior zygapophysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Sagapenum. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. sagapenon, sacopenium, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. sagapin, gomme sagapin, sagapénum, Ar. sikbīnaj, Per. sakbīnah, sikbīnah. ] (Med.) A fetid gum resin obtained from a species of Ferula. It has been used in hysteria, etc., but is now seldom met with. See also asafetida. U. S. Disp. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Elec.) The space filled with air or other dielectric between high potential terminals (as of an electrostatic machine, induction coil, or condenser), through which the discharge passes; the air gap of a jump spark. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. That which closes or fills up an opening or gap; hence, a temporary expedient. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moral prejudices are the stop-gaps of virtue. Hare. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The angler; -- called also widegab, and widegut. [ 1913 Webster ]