Lewis & Short

hĭo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. and a. [weakened from ΧΑΩ, χαίνω, χάσκω; cf. Germ. gähnen].

  1. I. Neutr., to open, stand or be open, to gape.
    1. A. Lit.
      1. 1. In gen. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): hiavit humus multa, Sall. Fragm. ap. Non. 318, 29; cf.: (calor) venas astringit hiantes, Verg. G. 1, 91: vasti specus hiant defractis membris (colossi Rhodii), Plin. 34, 7, 18, § 41; Hor. Epod. 8, 5: nec flos ullus hiat pratis, Prop. 4 (5), 2, 45; cf.: hiantia lilia, Ov. A. A. 2, 115: quercum patulis rimis hiantem, Gell. 15, 16, 2: Ch. Qui potuit videre? Ac. Oculis. Ch. Quo pacto? Ac. Hem hiantibus, Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 71: oculi hiantes, Plin. 11, 37, 52, § 139: cum pisciculi in concham hiantem innataverunt, Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 123.
      2. 2. In partic., to open the mouth, to gape, yawn: inceptus clamor frustratur hiantes, Verg. A. 6, 493: perdices hiantes, exserta lingua aestuant, Plin. 10, 33, 51, § 102: trochilos crocodilum invitat ad hiandum pabuli sui gratia, id. 8, 25, 37, § 90: leo immane hians, Verg. A. 10, 726: lupus (piscis) hic Tiberinus an alto Captus hiet, Hor. S. 2, 2, 32: profluentem aquam hianti ore captantes, Curt. 4, 16.
    2. B. Trop.
      1. 1. Of speech, to be badly connected, to leave a hiatus: qui (vocalium concursus) cum accidit, hiat et intersistit et quasi laborat oratio, Quint. 9, 4, 33; cf.: hiare semper vocalibus, id. ib. 20; and: qui (poëtae), ut versum facerent, saepe hiabant: ut Naevius: Vos qui accolitis Histrum fluvium atque algidam, etc., Cic. Or. 45, 152; cf. also: crebrae vocalium concursiones, quae vastam atque hiantem orationem reddunt, Auct. Her. 4, 12, 18; and: concursus hiantes, Cic. Part. Or. 6, 21: aspera et dura et dissoluta et hians oratio, Quint. 8, 6, 62: hians compositio, Tac. Or. 21: hiantia loqui, Cic. Or. 9, 32.
      2. 2. (Acc. to I. A. 2.) To gape, with longing, wonder, or curiosity; to be eager, to long for any thing; to be amazed: huic homini si cujus domus patet, utrum ea patere an hiare ac poscere aliquid videtur? Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 4, § 8: canis semper ad spem futuri hiat, Sen. Ep. 72 med.; cf.: corvum deludet hiantem, i. e. the legacy-hunter, Hor. S. 2, 5, 56: ne facies (equi) emptorem inducat hiantem, id. ib. 1, 2, 88: quem ducit hiantem Cretata ambitio, Pers. 5, 176: avaritiā semper hiante esse, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 54, § 134; cf. Tac. H. 1, 12 fin.: hunc plausus hiantem Per cuneosCorripuit, Verg. G. 2, 508: luxus et ignavia lacerabat hiantem Desidia populum, Sil. 11, 35.
  2. II. Act., to spew out (poet. and very rare): subitos ex ore cruores Saucia tigris hiat, i. e. spits, emits, Val. Fl. 6, 706.
    1. B. To bawl out, utter, sing: fabula seu maesto ponatur hianda tragoedo, Pers. 5, 3: carmen lyra, plays, Prop. 2, 31, 6 (3, 29, 6 M.).