noun / verb
yaw
YAW/jˈɔ/
Side-to-side turning of a vehicle around its vertical axis.
The model boat yaws from side to side, leaving a sinuous wake.
Etymology
Yaw first named a temporary deviation from a ship’s course, then the act of veering off course. Its possible Scandinavian ancestry in words meaning “drive, chase” remains uncertain.
In context
she was seen to yaw hither and thither at every dark spot, however small, on the sea. This way and that her yards were swung round; starboard and larboard, she continued to tack
More examples
- The rudder helps the pilot control the plane's yaw.
- A strong crosswind makes the boat yaw as it moves forward.
- The car yawed sharply when its rear tires lost traction.
Forms
yaw · yaws · yawed · yawing
Similar words
- rotate
- Rotate allows turning around any axis, not just the vertical axis.
- turn
- Turn is broader and does not specify an axis.