gasp

gasp — 動詞

1. to quickly draw air into your mouth with a short, sharp breath, usually because

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

倒抽一口氣

因驚訝或疼痛突然吸氣

to quickly draw air into your mouth with a short, sharp breath, usually because something has surprised, shocked, or hurt you

例句

Hyun gasped and jumped back when a huge spider suddenly appeared on his desk.

Hyun 看到桌上突然冒出一隻大蜘蛛，嚇得倒抽一口氣往後跳。

gasped + and + verb (consecutive reactions to shock)

The audience gasped as the performer slipped and hung from the tightrope.

表演者失手懸掛在鋼索上時，觀眾都倒抽了一口氣。

同義詞
  • catch one's breath

    implies a pause to breathe after shock or exertion, less dramatic than gasp

  • draw in one's breath

    more formal and often implies a sharp intake indicating disapproval or concern

文法句型

gasp + (in/with + emotion noun)

gasp + and + verb

常見錯誤

❌I gasped for air when I saw the spider.
✅I gasped when I saw the spider.
💡'gasp for air' belongs to sense 2 (difficulty breathing), not the sudden-reaction sense.

2. to breathe with great effort and a loud or rough sound, because your body is str

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

喘氣

費力且大聲地呼吸

to breathe with great effort and a loud or rough sound, because your body is struggling to get enough air

例句

After running up five flights of stairs, Stefan was gasping for air.

跑了五層樓梯後，Stefan 喘著氣拼命吸氣。

be gasping for + air

The children found the lost dog gasping under the old wooden porch.

孩子們發現那隻走失的狗在老舊的木頭門廊下喘著氣。

同義詞
  • pant

    quicker, shallower breaths, often after exercise; less dramatic than gasp

  • puff

    short, rapid breaths, often with puffed cheeks; less intense

  • wheeze

    breathing with a whistling sound, typically due to asthma or illness

文法句型

gasp + for + noun

be gasping + adverb

gasp + and + verb

用法筆記

Often followed by 'for' to specify what the body needs, most commonly 'for air' or 'for breath.' Unlike sense 1, this sense describes ongoing laboured breathing rather than a single sharp intake.

常見錯誤

❌After the race, he gasped from exhaustion.
✅After the race, he panted from exhaustion.
💡For sustained heavy breathing after exercise, 'pant' is the more natural choice; 'gasp' suits a shorter, more dramatic struggle for air.

gasp — 名詞