yarn English · revision 1054

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /jɑːn/, /jɑɹn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|yarn]], [[inh|ang|gearn|t=spun fibre]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[gem-pro|*garną]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[goh|garn]], [[non|garn]] and [[nl|garen]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) The Germanic word is traced to the Proto-Indo-European root ''*ghere-'' “gut, entrail”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) so that it is related to Old Norse ''gǫrn'' “gut”, Greek ''khordḗ'' “string, intestine” and Latin ''hernia'' “rupture”.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Spun fibre, as of wool, cotton, silk or flax, prepared for weaving or knitting (c. 1000).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “a long story” arose from the nautical expression ''to spin a yarn'', recorded from 1812.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) It is said to come from sailors' habit of telling stories while doing sedentary work such as twisting yarn,^(Etymonline) with an allusion to length.^(Etymonline) From the same date ''yarn'' is a verb, “to tell a story”.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) In Australia and New Zealand a yarn is also simply a chat (1857).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – spun fibre.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1627 – in rope-making, one of the threads of a strand.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1812 – ''to spin a yarn''; a story, a tale.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1812 – verb, to tell a story.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1857 – a chat (Australia, New Zealand).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A continuous strand of twisted fibres, such as [[wool]] or [[nylon]], used in [[weaving]] and [[knitting]]; also, a similar strand of glass, metal or plastic.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A long, often elaborate story of real or invented adventures, especially a [[tall tale]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To tell a yarn or a series of tales.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[yarner]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[chord]]

+ * [[hernia]]

+ * [[cord]]

+ * [[spin]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}