From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpantpant /pænt/ ●○○ verb 1 [intransitive]HBBREATHE to breathe quickly with short noisy breaths, for example because you have been running or because it is very hot He came in panting after running up the steps. He was panting for breath. The dog lay panting on the doorstep.► see thesaurus at breathe2 [transitive]SAY to say something while you are panting ‘I can’t run any farther, ’ she panted. —pant noun [countable] → pant for something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
pant• "Go on without me, " Mike panted.• Matt was still panting after his run.• He slammed the door shut behind him and leaned panting against the glass.• The surface of the Melanisms heaved and panted, and Fenella felt the suction about her waist increase.• Staggering up, I leaned against the wall, panting and gasping, wondering how severely I was hit.• The athletes panted and puffed in the 90-degree heat.• I stood as straight as possible while their tossing velvety horns spun me about and their misty panting breath enveloped me.• The mousy man sat on the suitcase panting dismally.• She was panting from running, dancing, chanting, crawling, beating the ground.• The infantry are also upon the run, sweating and panting in the hot sunshine.• A strange brown dog suddenly jumped all over him, panting, its tongue out.• When I reached the top of the stairs I was puffing and panting like an old steam engine.panting for breath• After five minutes I was panting for breath.Origin pant (1400-1500) Old French pantaisier, from Vulgar Latin phantasiare “to see things which are not there”, from Latin phantasia; → FANTASY 