gasp

[ gasp, gahsp ]

/ gæsp, gɑsp /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR gasp ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a sudden, short intake of breath, as in shock or surprise.

a convulsive effort to breathe.

a short, convulsive utterance: the words came out in gasps.

verb (used without object)

to catch one's breath.

to struggle for breath with the mouth open; breathe convulsively.

to long with breathless eagerness; desire; crave (usually followed by for or after).

verb (used with object)

to utter with gasps (often followed by out, forth, away, etc.): She gasped out the words.

to breathe or emit with gasps (often followed by away).

Nearby words

Idioms

last gasp, the point of death; dying: At his last gasp he confessed to the murder.

Origin of gasp

1350–1400; Middle English gaspen, probably Old English *gāspen, equivalent to Old Norse geispa; akin to gape

SYNONYMS FOR gasp

4, 5. puff, blow. See pant¹.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR gasp ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsgasp·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for gasped

The execution Wednesday of an Arizona man lasted almost two hours as he gasped for air.
Arizona Botches Execution|Ben Jacobs|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They were just meat,” he gasped before breaking down in tears.
A Child’s Funeral in Gaza|Jesse Rosenfeld|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Millennials are “unmoored from institutions,” gasped Pew Research recently.
Rand Paul is Politically Divergent. And So He Must Be Stopped.|Nick Gillespie|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The castle, she gasped and then so imprisoned her breath, to the shallow confines of her fragile chest.
Facebook Post By Chardon Ohio High School Shooting Suspect T.J. Lane||February 27, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Over 200 people, from reporters to photographers and sales reps, gasped as they were told they would be losing their jobs.
The Intrusive British Press||July 10, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Before he could take a third, Blondel gasped, and made an uncertain movement with his hand, as if he would reassure him.
The Long Night|Stanley Weyman
Harold lay down and gasped, Disco followed his example, and sighed.
Black Ivory|R.M. Ballantyne
Mrs. Vernon looked at it in surprise, and gasped: Why, of all things!
Girl Scouts at Dandelion Camp|Lillian Elizabeth Roy
"I don't see that it has budged any," gasped Fred, after half a minute of the hardest kind of effort.
The Rover Boys in the Land of Luck|Edward Stratemeyer
My lady,” she gasped, “here is Sir Blaise Mickleton, who entreats the honor to speak with you.
The Lady of Loyalty House|Justin Huntly McCarthy

British Dictionary definitions for gasped

gasp

/ (ɡɑːsp) /

verb

(intr) to draw in the breath sharply, convulsively, or with effort, esp in expressing awe, horror, etc

(intr; foll by after or for) to crave

(tr often foll by out) to utter or emit breathlessly

noun

a short convulsive intake of breath

a short convulsive burst of speech

at the last gasp

at the point of death
at the last moment

Derived Formsgaspingly, adverb

Word Origin for gasp

C14: from Old Norse geispa to yawn; related to Swedish dialect gispa, Danish gispe

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for gasped

gasp

late 14c., gaspen, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old Norse geispa "to yawn," or its Danish derivative gispe "gasp," which probably are related to Old Norse gapa (see gape). Related: Gasped; gasping.

gasp

1570s, from gasp (v.).

Idioms and Phrases with gasped

gasp

see last gasp.

gasp

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

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Idioms

Origin of gasp

Examples from the Web for gasped

gasp

verb

noun

Word Origin for gasp

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