gasper

See also: Gasper and Gašper

English edit

gasp +‎ -er

gasper (plural gaspers)

A person or animal that gasps.
(informal) Something that causes one to gasp in shock, suspense, or awe.
- 2022 October 10, Jenna Scherer, “House Of The Dragon drops its best episode yet”, in AV Club‎^[1]:
  Viserys unsheathes his dagger and says he’ll have his tongue for this, but his brother is quicker. In a classic Game Of Thrones gasper of a moment, Daemon whips out his sword and slices the top half of Vaemond’s head off like a watermelon. “He can keep his tongue,” the prince remarks, in a savage mic drop.
(British, slang) A cigarette.
- 1975, “Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)”, in Nighthawks at the Diner, performed by Tom Waits:
  Standing on the corner like a just-got-in-town jasper / I'm on a street corner with a gasper
- 1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […], Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 183:
  The engineer shivers in the bright chill and lights a gasper of his own and tells Madame Psychosis through the intercom that the whole range of levels is fine.
(BDSM, slang) One who is aroused by autoasphyxiation.
- 1999, floodin...@webtv.net, “gay male gaspers/breath control and choking roleplay.”, in alt.sex.necrophilia (Usenet):
(slang, aviation) An adjustable air outlet over a passenger seat in aircraft.