Os·ci·tan·cy n.
1. The act of gaping or yawning.
2. Drowsiness; dullness; sluggishness.
It might proceed from the oscitancy of transcribers. --Addison.
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oscitancy
n 1: drowsiness and dullness manifested by yawning [syn: oscitance]
2: an involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth;
usually triggered by fatigue or boredom; "he could not
suppress a yawn"; "the yawning in the audience told him it
was time to stop"; "he apologized for his ostinancy" [syn:
yawn, yawning, oscitance]