ἀσπαίρω

English (LSJ)

impf. ἤσπαιρον, Ion. and Ep.

   A ἀσπαίρεσκον Q.S.11.104: (ἀ- euph., σπαίρω):—pant, gasp, struggle, in Hom. always of the dying (so κραδίη ἀσπαίρουσα must be taken, Il.13.443), περὶ δουρὶ ἤσπαιρ' ὡς ὅτε βοῦς κτλ. ib.571; ζωὸν ἔτ' ἀσπαίροντα 12.203, cf. Od. 19.229, A.Pers.977 (lyr.), E.IA1587; νεκροὶ -οντες Antipho 2.4.5; ἀ. ἄνω κάτω E.El.843; of an infant, Hdt.1.111; of fish taken out of the water, Id.9.120, Babr.6.5:—but in Hdt.8.5 Ἀδείμαντος ἤσπαιρε μοῦνος was the only one who still made a struggle, resisted; ἐβόων τε καὶ ἤσπαιρον D.H.7.25.—Poet. and Ion. word.