yaw

yaw  (yô)

v. yawed, yaw·ing, yaws

v.intr.

1. Nautical To swerve off course momentarily or temporarily: The ship yawed as the heavy wave struck abeam.

2. To turn about the vertical axis. Used of an aircraft, spacecraft, or projectile.

3. To move unsteadily; weave.

v.tr.

To cause to yaw.

n.

1. The act of yawing.

2. Extent of yawing, measured in degrees.

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[Perhaps of Scandinavian origin.]

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yaw

Verb

(of an aircraft or ship) to turn to one side or from side to side while moving

Noun

the act or movement of yawing [origin unknown]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	yaw - an erratic deflection from an intended course swerve turning, turn - a movement in a new direction; "the turning of the wind"
Verb	1.	yaw - be wide open; "the deep gaping canyon" gape, yawn be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer"
	2.	yaw - deviate erratically from a set course; "the yawing motion of the ship" hunt - yaw back and forth about a flight path; "the plane's nose yawed" deviate, divert - turn aside; turn away from
	3.	yaw - swerve off course momentarily; "the ship yawed when the huge waves hit it" sheer, slew, slue, swerve, trend, veer, curve, cut - turn sharply; change direction abruptly; "The car cut to the left at the intersection"; "The motorbike veered to the right"

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1. The rotation of an aircraft, ship, or missile about its vertical axis so as to cause the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, ship, or missile to deviate from the flight line or heading in its horizontal plane.
2. Angle between the longitudinal axis of a projectile at any moment and the tangent to the trajectory in the corresponding point of flight of the projectile.