■ verb
1》 catch one's breath with an open mouth, owing to pain or astonishment.
↘( ~ for ) strain to obtain (air) by ~ing.
2》 ( be ~ing for ) Brit. informal be desperate to obtain or consume; crave: I'm ~ing for a drink!
■ noun a convulsive catching of breath.
Phrases
the last ~ the point of exhaustion, death, or completion.
Origin
ME: from ON geispa 'to yawn'.