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yaws

[yawz]
noun (used with a singular verb) Pathology.
  1. an infectious, nonvenereal tropical disease, primarily of children, characterized by raspberrylike eruptions of the skin and caused by a spirochete, Treponema pertenue, that is closely related to the agent of syphilis.
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Compare mother yaw.

Origin of yaws

From Carib, dating back to 1670–80; see origin at -s3
Also called frambesia, pian.

yaw1

[yaw]
verb (used without object)
  1. to deviate temporarily from a straight course, as a ship.
  2. (of an aircraft) to have a motion about its vertical axis.
  3. (of a rocket or guided missile) to deviate from a stable flight attitude by oscillation of the longitudinal axis in the horizontal plane.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to cause to yaw.
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noun
  1. a movement of deviation from a direct course, as of a ship.
  2. a motion of an aircraft about its vertical axis.
  3. an angle, to the right or left, determined by the direction of motion of an aircraft or spacecraft and its vertical and longitudinal plane of symmetry.
  4. (of a rocket or guided missile)
    1. the act of yawing.
    2. the angular displacement of the longitudinal axis due to yawing.
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Origin of yaw1

First recorded in 1540–50; origin uncertain

yaw2

[yaw]
noun Pathology.
  1. one of the lesions of yaws.
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Origin of yaw2

First recorded in 1735–45; back formation from yaws
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

swerveveercurvezigzagturnweavedeviatebankslueunsteady

Examples from the Web for yaws

Historical Examples

British Dictionary definitions for yaws

yaws

noun
  1. (usually functioning as singular) an infectious nonvenereal disease of tropical climates with early symptoms resembling syphilis, characterized by red skin eruptions and, later, pain in the joints: it is caused by the spiral bacterium Treponema pertenueAlso called: framboesia
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Word Origin

C17: of Carib origin

yaw

verb
  1. (intr) (of an aircraft, missile, etc) to turn about its vertical axisCompare pitch 1 (def. 11), roll (def. 14)
  2. (intr) (of a ship, etc) to deviate temporarily from a straight course
  3. (tr) to cause (an aircraft, ship, etc) to yaw
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noun
  1. the angular movement of an aircraft, missile, etc, about its vertical axis
  2. the deviation of a vessel from a straight course
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Word Origin

C16: of unknown origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for yaws

n.

1670s, from Carib yaya, the native name for the disease.

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yaw

v.

"to fall away from the line of a course," 1540s, from Old Norse jaga, Old Danish jæge "to drive, chase," from Middle Low German jagen (see yacht).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
yaws in Medicine

yaws

(yôz)
n.
  1. An infectious tropical disease caused by Treponema pertenue, characterized by the development of crusted granulomatous ulcers on the extremities that may cause bone and joint destruction in later stages of the disease.boubas bubas frambesia granuloma tropicum pian rupia
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
yaws in Science

yaws

[yôz]
  1. A highly contagious tropical disease that chiefly affects children, caused by the spirochete Treponema pertenue and characterized by raspberrylike sores, especially on the hands, feet, and face.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.