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  1. gasp love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To draw in the breath sharply, as from shock.
  2. v. To breathe convulsively or laboriously.
  3. v. To utter in a breathless manner.
  4. n. A short convulsive intake or catching of the breath.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To labor for breath with open mouth; respire convulsively; pant with great effort.
  2. To desire with eagerness; crave vehemently.
  3. To emit or utter gaspingly: with away, forth, out, etc.
  4. n. The act of catching the breath with open mouth; labored respiration; a short, convulsive catching of the breath.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A short, sudden intake of breath.
  2. n. UK (slang): A draw or drag on a cigarette (or gasper).
  3. v. intransitive : To draw in the breath suddenly, as if from a shock.
  4. v. intransitive : To breathe laboriously or convulsively.
  5. v. transitive : To speak in a breathless manner

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. To open the mouth wide in catching the breath, or in laborious respiration; to labor for breath; to respire convulsively; to pant violently.
  2. v. To pant with eagerness; to show vehement desire.
  3. v. To emit or utter with gasps; -- with forth, out, away, etc.
  4. n. The act of opening the mouth convulsively to catch the breath; a labored respiration; a painful catching of the breath.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a short labored intake of breath with the mouth open
  2. v. breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted

Etymologies

  1. Perhaps from Old Norse geispa or Danish gispe. (Wiktionary)
  2. Middle English gaspen, gaispen, to gape, yawn, from Old Norse geispa, to yawn. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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Lists

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Comments

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  • Louises Pressed the hand to the panel and received, like magic, the string of blips, the gasp, the open door. From "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan.
    Apr 1, 2012

  • PossibleUnderscore "Fight till the last gasp."
    -Henry VI Part 2, Shakespeare

    (I think it's part 2??) Jul 26, 2009

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‘gasp’ has been looked up 3143 times, loved by 2 people, added to 45 lists, commented on 2 times, and has a Scrabble score of 7.