gaspern.
/ˈɡaspə/, /ˈɡɑːspə/, U.S. /ˈɡæspər/ 1. A person who or animal which gasps (in various senses of the verb). Also: something which provokes gasps.
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1845 C. Dickens Let. 27 Sept. (1977) IV. 389 When I think of the possible consequences—of little gaspers like Papa—..a chill runs through my blood.
1877 J. S. Blackie Wise Men Greece 16 He bade them fling The finny gaspers back into the brine Wholesale.
1906 Conservator Sept. 109/1 I never discover how safe I am till the gaspers and eaters discover how dangerous I am.
1958 Billboard 24 Mar. 12/4 Senators present listened in chill silence to a gasper of a statement by magazine Writer Booton Herndon.
1992 M. Crichton Rising Sun 117 We're looking at a case of sexual asphyxia... She's a gasper.
2. slang (chiefly British). A cigarette, esp. a cheap or inferior one. Now somewhat dated.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > smoking > articles or materials used in smoking > [noun] > thing which may be smoked > cigarette > cheap
fag1885
woodbine1907
gasper1914
1914 Isis 14 Feb. 5/2 Not only does he prefer the Irish-grown ‘gasper’ to all others, but he provides them for his Saxon guest.
1921 S. P. B. Mais Why we should Read 32 Why should one prefer a Corona cigar to a ‘gasper’?
1965 Listener 21 Oct. 624/3 ‘Gasper’ commercials are with us still at every peak viewing hour.
1993 J. Meades Pompey (1994) 395 Bonny drove home, stopping at the off for bottles and gaspers, glad of the peace in the shop.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1845