gasp
gb/ɡˈæsp/ us/ɡˈæsp/
A2
English
~ 900
felszisszen, elakad a lélegzete, levegő után kapkod, zihál, felszisszenés, felhördülés
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to gasp [in surprise/pain/fear]
She gasped in shock when she saw the bill.
Felszisszent a döbbenettől, amikor meglátta a számlát.
He gasped as the cold water hit his skin.
Felszisszent, amikor a hideg víz a bőréhez ért.
The audience gasped at the magician’s final trick.
I gasped when I realized I had missed my flight.
They all gasped in horror at the news.
Learner examples
She gasped when she saw the big dog.
Felszisszent, amikor meglátta a nagy kutyát.
He gasped after hearing the bad news.
Felszisszent, miután meghallotta a rossz hírt.
I gasped when I dropped my phone.
They gasped when the car crashed.
We gasped when we saw the fire.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'gasp' with 'sigh'. 'Gasp' means to breathe in suddenly; 'sigh' means to breathe out slowly.
Meaning
Breathe in suddenly in shock
Collocations
gasp in surprise
|gasp for air
|audible gasp
|gasp in horror
|gasp sharply
Synonyms
inhale sharply (More technical and neutral; lacks the emotional connotation of 'gasp'.)
|
pant (Implies repeated short breaths, often from exertion rather than sudden emotion.)
Antonyms
exhale (The opposite breathing action—letting air out instead of taking it in suddenly.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To quickly take in air through your mouth because you are surprised, scared, or hurt.
To take a short, quick breath in suddenly, often because of surprise, fear, pain, or shock.
VERB
B1
2
zihál
B2
Usage pattern:
to gasp for [air/breath]
He lay on the ground, gasping for breath after the race.
A földön feküdt, és levegő után kapkodott a verseny után.
The hikers gasped for air at the high altitude.
A túrázók levegő után kapkodtak a nagy magasságban.
She gasped heavily after climbing the stairs.
The injured man was gasping for breath until help arrived.
Learner examples
He gasped for air after running fast.
Levegő után kapkodott, miután gyorsan futott.
She was gasping for breath after the climb.
Levegő után kapkodott a mászás után.
I gasped for air in the hot room.
They gasped for breath after swimming.
We gasped for air at the top of the hill.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'gulp', which refers to swallowing quickly, not breathing.
Meaning
Struggle for breath
Collocations
gasp for breath
|gasp for air
|gasp heavily
|gasp loudly
Synonyms
pant (Implies heavy breathing after exertion; can be continuous rather than momentary.)
|
wheeze (Implies a whistling sound due to breathing difficulty, often from illness.)
Antonyms
breathe easily (Normal, unlabored breathing without difficulty.)
Themes
health
|sports
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To try hard to breathe when it is difficult, for example after running fast.
To breathe with difficulty, often making a short sound with each breath, usually because of physical effort or lack of air.
NOUN
A2
3
felhördülés
C1
A gasp escaped her lips when she saw the snake.
Egy felszisszenés szakadt ki belőle, amikor meglátta a kígyót.
There was an audible gasp from the crowd.
Hallható felhördülés futott végig a tömegen.
He let out a gasp of pain as he fell.
The news was met with gasps of disbelief.
Learner examples
She gave a loud gasp when she saw me.
Hangosan felszisszent, amikor meglátott.
I heard a gasp from the room.
Felszisszenést hallottam a szobából.
He made a gasp when he was hurt.
The class made a gasp when the teacher fell.
We heard gasps during the movie.
Meaning
A sudden quick breath sound
Collocations
a loud gasp
|an audible gasp
|a gasp of surprise
|a gasp of pain
Synonyms
inhalation (Technical term for breathing in; does not imply emotion.)
Antonyms
exhalation (Breathing out; opposite direction of airflow.)
Themes
emotions
|body
|health
Definition
A quick breath in that makes a small sound, often from surprise or fear.
A short, sudden intake of breath that can be heard, usually caused by surprise, fear, pain, or shock.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gasp
IPA
GB/ɡˈæsp/
US/ɡˈæsp/
Syllables & stress
gasp (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (gasp)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: gasp
- Plural: gasps
Verb
- Base: gasp
- 3rd Person Singular: gasps
- Present Participle: gasping
- Past: gasped
Word family
Forms
gasps
noun
gasping
verb
gasped
verb
Expressions
gasp for breath
1/ɡˈæsp fɚ bɹˈɛθ/
fixed phrase
Struggle to breathe properly
To have trouble breathing and try hard to get enough air.
Examples
- After sprinting to catch the bus, he stood on the sidewalk, gasping for breath.
- The swimmer reached the surface and began gasping for breath.
gasp in horror
1/ɡˈæsp ˈɪn hˈɔɹɚ/
fixed phrase
Suddenly breathe in from fear or shock
To quickly take in air because something scares or shocks you very much.
Examples
- The crowd gasped in horror as the building collapsed.
- She gasped in horror when she saw the injury.
last gasp
1/lˈæst ɡˈæsp/
idiom
Final stage before failure or death
The final effort or moment before something ends or fails completely.
Examples
- The team scored a last-gasp goal to win the match.
- The company made a last-gasp attempt to stay in business.