Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To talk volubly and often loudly.
  • intransitive verb To complain peevishly; whine.
  • intransitive verb To utter or say loudly or in a complaining tone.
  • noun The act of yammering.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To lament; wail; shriek; yell; cry aloud; whimper loudly; whine.
  • To yearn; desire.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive To complain peevishly.
  • verb intransitive To talk loudly and persistently.
  • verb transitive To repeat on and on, usually loudly or in complaint.
  • verb intransitive, rare To make an outcry; to clamor.
  • noun The act or noise of yammering.
  • noun A loud noise.
  • noun One who yammers.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb cry loudly, as of animals
  • verb complain whiningly

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English yameren, to lament, alteration (probably influenced by Middle Dutch jammeren, to lament) of earlier Middle English yomeren, from Old English gēomrian, gēomerian, from gēomer, sad, sorrowful; akin to Old High German jāmar, perhaps ultimately of imitative origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Probably from Middle Dutch jammeren cognate and reinforced by Middle English yeoumeren ("to mourn, complain"), from Old English geomrian ("to lament"), from ġeōmor ("sorrowful") possibly imitative in origin and akin to German Jammer.

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