Past tense of yearn; to have felt a deep longing or intense desire for something. To have experienced a persistent, often melancholic craving for someone or something absent.
From Old English 'giernan' meaning 'to strive, be eager, desire earnestly.' Related to Old High German 'geron' meaning 'to desire.' The word has maintained its core meaning of deep longing throughout its evolution in English.
'Yearned' carries an almost physical quality of longing - it's not just wanting something, but feeling an ache for it. The word often appears in literature to describe homesickness, lost love, or spiritual longing, suggesting that some desires are felt not just mentally but in the body itself.
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