an involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth; usually triggered by fatigue or boredom; "he could not suppress a yawn"; "the yawning in the audience told him it was time to stop"; "he apologized for his oscitancy"
utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired; "The child yawned during the long performance"
an unstable construction with playing cards; "he built three levels of his cardcastle before it collapsed"
a speculative scheme that depends on unstable factors that the planner cannot control; "his proposal was nothing but a house of cards"; "a real estate bubble"
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock; "an amazed audience gave the magician a standing ovation"; "I stood enthralled, astonished by the vastness and majesty of the cathedral"; "astounded viewers wept at the pictures from the Oklahoma City bombing"; "stood in stunned silence"; "stunned scientists found not one but at least three viruses"
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one; "finds himself in a most awkward predicament"; "the woeful plight of homeless people"