WORD OF THE DAY
A yaw is a swerve off course. On a sailboat, an unexpected yaw can make you lurch to one side — and it might also make you seasick.
Both as a noun and a verb, yaw basically means "swerve or twist." It's most common for this word to be used in discussions of a vehicle's movement, especially ships, airplanes, and spacecraft. A pilot might describe a jet that tends to yaw to the right, while a boat captain might warn her crew that an approaching storm will cause the ship to pitch and yaw. Etymologists believe that yaw and yacht share a root.
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Vocabulary lists containing yaw
Is your vocabulary feeling lax, with too many words beyond your ken? Dip into this vat of verbal gems of every hue and turn your woe into awe! These four lists are arranged from easiest to most challenging. Try and learn them all! Here are links to our lists in the collection: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
In this epic poem, clever Odysseus attempts to find his way home after the end of the Trojan War. Learn these words from the translation by Robert Fagles.
Thirteen-year-old Charlotte encounters adventure on the high seas as she sails from England to America.
During the Revolutionary War, a twelve-year-old girl works as a spy and identifies a traitor to the American cause.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows the career of a cynical politician during the Great Depression.
