Yarn

Pronunciation

• RP enPR: yân, IPA: /jɑːn/
• US enPR: yârn, IPA: /jɑɹn/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)n

Origin

From Middle English yarn, from the Old English ġearn ("yarn, spun wool"), from Proto-Germanic *garną ("yarn"), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰorn-, *ǵʰer- ("tharm, guts, intestines"). Akin to West Frisian jern, Dutch garen ("yarn"), German Garn ("yarn"), Danish garn, Swedish garn ("yarn, thread"), Icelandic garn ("yarn"), Latin hernia ("rupture"), Ancient Greek χορδή (chordḗ, "string"), Sanskrit हिर (hira, "band"). Cf. also the obsolete doublet garn.

Full definition of yarn

Noun

1. (uncountable) A twisted strand of fiber used for knitting or weaving.
2. (nautical) Bundles of fibers twisted together, and which in turn are twisted in bundles to form strands, which in their turn are twisted or plaited to form rope.
3. (countable) A story, a tale, especially one that is incredible.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 4, I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.

Synonyms

• (story or tale) story, tale

Derived terms

• yarn-beam
• yarn-spinner
• yarnwindle

Related terms

• spin a yarn

Verb

1. to tell a story

Derived terms

• yarner

Anagrams

• nary, n-ary
• Ryan