gasp

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɡasp/ UK /ɡɑːsp/ See IPA manual

Freq #5771

Meanings

1

verb
To take a sudden, short breath in, usually from shock or surprise.

The audience gasped when the magician suddenly disappeared.
2

verb
To breathe with difficulty, with the mouth open, especially after effort.

We were all gasping for breath by the time we reached the top.
3

noun
A sudden, short breath in, usually showing shock or surprise.

She let out a gasp of astonishment when she opened the gift.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to breathe with difficulty,... pant

3 noun · a sudden, short breath in,... pant

Word family

Forms gaspedgaspinggaspinglygasps

Derived forms agaspgaspy

Etymology

From Middle English gaspen, gayspen (“to gape, outbreathe”), related to and likely derived from Old Norse geispa (“to yawn”) or its descendant Danish gispe, which may be related to gapa (“to gape”).

gaspen Middle English geispa Old Norse

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# gasp

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɡasp/
**IPA (UK):** /ɡɑːsp/
**Frequency rank:** 5771

## Meanings
1. To take a sudden, short breath in, usually from shock or surprise.
2. To breathe with difficulty, with the mouth open, especially after effort.
3. A sudden, short breath in, usually showing shock or surprise.

## Examples
- The audience gasped when the magician suddenly disappeared.
- We were all gasping for breath by the time we reached the top.
- She let out a gasp of astonishment when she opened the gift.

## Derived Forms
- agasp
- gaspy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: gaspen
- Root: geispa

## Etymology
From Middle English gaspen, gayspen (“to gape, outbreathe”), related to and likely derived from Old Norse geispa (“to yawn”) or its descendant Danish gispe, which may be related to gapa (“to gape”).

## AI Etymology
Gasp comes from Middle English gaspen, gayspen (“to gape, outbreathe”), related to and likely derived from Old Norse geispa (“to yawn”) or its descendant Danish gispe, which may be related to gapa (“to gape”). In current use, the main senses are “To take a sudden, short breath in, usually from shock or surprise” and “To breathe with difficulty, with the mouth open, especially after effort”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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