gasp

Etymology

From Middle English. Related to and possibly derived from Old Norse geispa or Danish gispe.^[1]

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɡɑːsp/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɡæsp/

• CA synth

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æsp

Noun

gasp (plural gasps)

1. A short, sudden intake of breath.

   The audience gave a gasp of astonishment

2. (Britain, slang): A draw or drag on a cigarette (or gasper).

   I'm popping out for a gasp.

Verb

gasp (third-person singular simple present gasps, present participle gasping, simple past and past participle gasped)

1. (intransitive) To draw in the breath suddenly, as if from a shock.

   The audience gasped as the magician disappeared.

2. (intransitive) To breathe laboriously or convulsively.

   We were all gasping when we reached the summit.

   • Lloyd

     She gasps and struggles hard for life.

3. (transitive) To speak in a breathless manner.

   The old man gasped his last few words.

4. To pant with eagerness; to show vehement desire.

   I'm gasping for a cup of tea.

   • Spenser

     Quenching the gasping furrows' thirst with rain.

Interjection

gasp

1. (humorous) The sound of a gasp.

   Gasp! What will happen next?

References

Anagrams

• AGPs, GPAs, PASG, SPAG, gaps, spag

Noun

gasp n

1. loud talking, joking, fun