gasp
See also: gäsp
English
Etymology
From Middle English gaspen, gayspen (“to gape, outbreathe”), related to and likely derived from Old Norse geispa (“to yawn”) or its descendant Danish gispe, which may be related to gapa (“to gape”).[1]
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɡɑːsp/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ɡæsp/
CA synth (file) - Rhymes: -æsp
Verb
gasp (third-person singular simple present gasps, present participle gasping, simple past and past participle gasped)
- (intransitive) To draw in the breath suddenly, as if from a shock.
- The audience gasped as the magician disappeared.
- (intransitive) To breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion; to respire with heaving of the breast; to pant.
- We were all gasping when we reached the summit.
- c. 1761-1764, Robert Lloyd, An Epistle to C. Churchill, Author of the Rosicad
- She gasps and struggles hard for life.
- (transitive) To speak in a breathless manner.
- The old man gasped his last few words.
- To pant with eagerness or excitement; to show vehement desire.
- I'm gasping for a cup of tea.
- 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Aprill. Aegloga Quarta.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], OCLC 606515406; republished as The Shepheardes Calender […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], 1586, OCLC 837880809:
- Quenching the gasping furrows' thirst with rain.
Translations
to draw in the breath suddenly
|
to breathe laboriously or convulsively
|
Noun
gasp (plural gasps)
- A short, sudden intake of breath.
- The audience gave a gasp of astonishment
- (Britain, slang): A draw or drag on a cigarette (or gasper).
- I'm popping out for a gasp.
Derived terms
- dying gasp
- last gasp
Translations
A short, sudden intake of breath
|
A draw or drag on a cigarette (or gasper)
|
Interjection
gasp
- (humorous) The sound of a gasp.
- Gasp! What will happen next?
Translations
Interjection representing a gasp
|
References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “gasp”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Anagrams
- A-GPS, AGPs, GPAs, PASG, PGAs, SPAG, gaps, spag
Westrobothnian
Noun
gasp n
- loud talking, joking, fun
Related terms
- gaasp
- gas
- gasig
- gäsa
- gäsasam