Definition of "gasp" []

• To draw in the breath sharply, as from shock. (verb-intransitive)
• To breathe convulsively or laboriously. (verb-intransitive)
• To utter in a breathless manner. (verb-transitive)
• A short convulsive intake or catching of the breath. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "I hear a gasp from the hundreds gathered below as a rushing fills my head, a crescendo like music, a roar like waves – and I am ecstatic, and filled with wonder, joy and gratitude."
• "The sudden plunge into darkness and the sad gasp from the air conditioning unit was a reminder of the regular power cuts that plague the country."
• "The collective gasp is so loud the ducks take flight, filling the air with their honking."