From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgaspgasp1 /ɡɑːsp $ ɡæsp/ ●○○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]SURPRISEDFRIGHTENED to breathe in suddenly in a way that can be heard, especially because you are surprised or in paingasp in/with Ollie gasped with pain and slumped forward.gasp at The audience gasped at the splendour of the costumes. ‘My leg!’ he gasped. ‘I think it’s broken!’► see thesaurus at breathe2 [intransitive] to breathe quickly in a way that can be heard because you are having difficulty breathing → pantgasp for air/breath Brendan climbed slowly, gasping for breath.3 → be gasping (for something)→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
gasp• ""Do you think you can walk?'' I asked. ""I'll try, '' he gasped.• Everyone who sees these photographs gasps.• The crowd gasped as the plane burst into flames.• The sound of the telephone shrilling by the side of her bed brought her gasping back to wakefulness.• The hill was very steep and they were all gasping by the time they got to the top.• But the poor paunchy guy had been stuffed into a jumpsuit from which he seemed to gasp for air.• His mother was coughing and gasping for breath.• He gasped in agony as his knees smashed into a rock.• The boys gasped, wheezed and giggled; the plumper ones complained bitterly.• I gasped when I heard how much the ring had cost.• Most people gasp when they hear how much money Patsy makes.• Instead, it is surging ahead in the polls leaving the opposition to gasp with envy.• One of the boys hit him in the face, and he gasped with pain.gasp in/with• He gasped in agony as his knees smashed into a rock.• Len gasped in astonishment as the man pulled out a gun.• All around me, the people in the crowd were gasping in astonishment.• Six or seven women fainted, children screamed, grown men gasped in awe and disbelief.• Will I reach the other side gasping with exhilaration at the effort, the risk, the task successfully accomplished?• Like a rabbit borne aloft by a hawk, Semele hung gasping in his grip.• At first Buzz saw nothing, but then she gasped in horror.• He gasped with the effect of keeping with her.• But even when Brown was gasping in the ninth, Leyland stuck with him, and Brown finished the job.gasp for air/breath• I will be gasping for breath 24 hours a day.• She was rushed to the hospital, gasping for breath.• But the poor paunchy guy had been stuffed into a jumpsuit from which he seemed to gasp for air.• Katze dashed on to the bridge of the Raubvogel, gasping for breath.• We gasped for breath and fought off the pain, desperate not to lose.• They lay gasping for breath behind some wooden benches.• Sobbing, gasping for breath, she began to crawl across the floor.• They gasped for breath, struggled against debilitating weakness, and when the blood vessels around their brains ruptured, they died.• Yet even as the boy fell back, gasping for breath, that strange transformation overcame him again.gaspgasp2 ●○○ noun [countable] 1 SURPRISEDFRIGHTENEDwhen you take in a breath suddenly in a way that can be heard, especially because you are surprised or in paingasp of With a gasp of pure horror, Lewis jumped up and ran. She gave a little gasp and clutched George’s hand.2 BREATHEwhen you breathe in air quickly because you are having difficulty breathing Her breath came in shallow gasps.3 → somebody’s/something’s last gaspExamples from the Corpus
gasp• There was a gasp at this disclosure.• Bette concluded with a gasp and sank her teeth into her sandwich.• Between gasps Michael said that he was allergic to cats.• The announcement that he was guilty brought gasps and sobs in the packed courtroom.• But it also was the last gasp for a team on the slide.• Kneeling across him, she joined her body to his with a little gasp until he sat and touched his mouth to hers.• I was breathing in short little gasps.• Then there's nothing but the implacable, soul-less beat, and a subdued babble of shudders and metallic gasps.• Now we solaced our brow on the porcelain, and emitted a few sour gasps of disgust.• There were gasps of astonishment from the audience.gasp of• a gasp of painOrigin gasp1 (1300-1400) Old Norse geispa “to yawn” 