pant

¹

[ pant ]

verb (used without object)

1. to breathe hard and quickly, as after exertion.

   Synonyms: vibrate, throb, pulse, pulsate, pound, blow, wheeze, puff, heave

2. to gasp, as for air.
3. to long with breathless or intense eagerness; yearn:

   to pant for revenge.

   Synonyms: covet, thirst, hunger, hanker

4. to throb or heave violently or rapidly; palpitate.
5. to emit steam or the like in loud puffs.
6. Nautical. (of the bow or stern of a ship) to work with the shock of contact with a succession of waves. Compare work ( def 24 ).

verb (used with object)

1. to breathe or utter gaspingly.

noun

1. the act of panting.
2. a short, quick, labored effort at breathing; gasp.
3. a puff, as of an engine.
4. a throb or heave, as of the breast.

pant

²

[ pant ]

adjective

1. of or relating to pants:

   pant cuffs.

noun

1. pant leg.
2. pants ( defs 1, 2 ).

pant-

³

1. variant of panto- before a vowel.

pant

/ pænt /

verb

1. to breathe with noisy deep gasps, as when out of breath from exertion or excitement
2. to say (something) while breathing thus
3. introften foll byfor to have a frantic desire (for); yearn
4. intr to pulsate; throb rapidly

noun

1. the act or an instance of panting
2. a short deep gasping noise; puff

Other Words From

• panting·ly adverb
• un·panting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pant¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb panten, from Old French pant(a)is(i)er, from unattested Vulgar Latin phantasiāre “to have visions,” from Greek phantasioûn “to have or form images”; fantasy

Origin of pant²

First recorded in 1890–95; singular of pants

Word History and Origins

Origin of pant¹

C15: from Old French pantaisier, from Greek phantasioun to have visions, from phantasia fantasy

Synonym Study

Pant, gasp suggest breathing with more effort than usual. Pant suggests rapid, convulsive breathing, as from violent exertion or excitement: to pant after running for the train. Gasp suggests catching one's breath in a single quick intake, as from amazement, terror, and the like, or a series of such quick intakes of breath, as in painful breathing: to gasp with horror; to gasp for breath.

Example Sentences

That “seat of the pants” feeling is what reminds you that gravity is pulling you straight down, for example.

From Popular-Science

You’ve been working from your apartment for 342 days, and you haven’t worn real pants in months.

From Quartz

For instance, we can say with mathematical certainty that a straw, a T-shirt and a pair of pants are all topologically different objects because their homology groups are different.

From Quanta Magazine

John Quincy Adams was the first president to ditch knee breeches for long pants on his big day, in 1825.

From Washington Post

Here are the three pairs of fleece-lined pants that are getting me through this winter.

From Outside Online

Finding a great T-shirt or a great cigarette pant in a good fabric is next to impossible.

From The Daily Beast

“He would just sit in front of us, staring at us and kind of doing this really slow pant in our face,” Mellon says.

From The Daily Beast

The star fell from grace like a leather jogging pant-clad, tattooed Lucifer.

From The Daily Beast

Earlier this week, news broke that Lululemon was recalling its Luon pant on account of ‘sheerness’.

From The Daily Beast

Three years ago, fashion would have labeled these the new harem pant, but now that moment is over.

From The Daily Beast

Somebody had scuffed his right shoe in getting out and now he pulled up the pant leg of his dark grey suit to study it ruefully.

From Project Gutenberg

His grief was superb, a splendid grief, masculine and strong, which compressed his lips and made him pant.

From Project Gutenberg

Robinson now began to pant audibly, and finding he could not shake the hunter off, he with some reluctance prepared another game.

From Project Gutenberg

We soon lost her, for we often paused to pant and lean against one another for a moment's respite in this strange memorable race.

From Project Gutenberg

But he laboured on with the disabled scissors, and only succeeded in scratching the smooth marble a little; he stopped to pant.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• breathe heavily