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Agape vs Gaping - What's the difference?

agape | gaping | Related terms |

Agape is a related term of gaping.


As nouns the difference between agape and gaping

is that agape is (label) while gaping is the act of one who gapes.

As a verb gaping is

.

As an adjective gaping is

wide open.

agape

English

Etymology 1

* . First known use by (1667).

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Being in a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention; as with mouth hanging open.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • wide open.
  • * 1874 , (Marcus Clarke), (For the Term of His Natural Life) Chapter VIII
    • With his mouth agape and his hands clenched, Rufus Dawes, incapable of further speech, made a last effort to nod assent, but his head fell upon his breast; the next moment, the flickering light, the gloomy prison, the eager face of the doctor, and the astonished face of Vickers, vanished from before his straining eyes.
  • *
  • *
  • * 2004 , Jeffrey C. Carrier, John A. Musick, & Michael R. Heithaus, Biology of Sharks and their Relatives? , page 171
    • If the slightly agape mouth is closed prior to mouth opening, this is termed the preparatory phase and is more common in suction-feeding bony fishes than elasmobranchs.
    Usage notes
    * Almost always used after a noun or noun phrase it modifies.
    Synonyms
    * (being in a state of astonishment) dumbstruck, agog * (open wide) ajar, open, agog

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • open wide.
  • *
  • * 1996 , Perri O'Shaughnessy, Invasion of Privacy? , page 508
    • The bathroom door stood agape , and the peeling vinyl floor was bare.
  • * 2005 , , Chainfire? , page 427
    • He glanced up into Richard's eyes, his own wide with wonder, his mouth hanging agape .

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (agapae)
  • (Christianity) the love of God for mankind, or the benevolent love of Christians for others.
  • spiritual, altruistic, beneficial love which wills good for others.
  • a love feast, especially one held in the early Christian Church in connection with the eucharist.

    • References

    * (wikipedia "agape") * * English heteronyms English terms with multiple etymologies ----

    gaping

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • wide open
    • There's a gaping hole in the fence.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of one who gapes.
  • * 1820 , John Cooke, A Treatise on Nervous Diseases: Vol. I on Apoplexy
    • M. Le Gallois considers these gapings , which continue for some time after decapitation, as the vain efforts of the head for respiration.
  • Something gaping; something .

    • Anagrams

    *