klaffen
Translation
to gape, to be wide open, to yawn (of a gap)
Examples
Eine tiefe Wunde klaffte in seinem Arm.
A deep wound gaped in his arm.
Zwischen Theorie und Praxis klafft eine Lücke.
There is a gap between theory and practice.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) gapes (sth.) gapes The wound gapes.
a gap yawns ((between sth.)) a gap yawns (between sth.) A gap yawns between their positions.
Similar Words
offen stehen (to be open), gähnen (to yawn)
Etymology
Related to 'Kluft' (gap, chasm) and cognate with English 'cleave'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a cliff ('Klippe') with a large gap ('klafft'). The words sound somewhat similar.