colloq. [f. prec. (sense 2).] intr. To ‘spin a yarn,’ tell a story. Hence Yarning vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1812. [see YARN sb. 2].
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, i. Somehow or another I was al’ays a yarning sort of a customer.
1859. H. Kingsley, G. Hamlyn, xxxi. The head man of that there gang is … a-sitting yarning with your boss.
1880. Earl of Dunhaven, in 19th Cent., No. 38. 655. So we talked and yarned till I grew sleepy and dozed off.
1888. W. Clark Russell, Death Ship, vii. We speedily fell to yarning.
