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Pant vs Pent - What's the difference?

pant | pent |

As verbs the difference between pent and pant

is that pent is past tense of pen; alternative form of nocap=1|lang=en while pant is to breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion or from eagerness or excitement; to respire with heaving of the breast; to gasp.

As an adjective pent

is confined in a pen, imprisoned.

As a noun pant is

a quick breathing; a catching of the breath; a gasp.

pant

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), whence also English dialectal (m). Possibly from (etyl) (m), a byform or of (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A quick breathing; a catching of the breath; a gasp.
  • (obsolete) A violent palpitation of the heart.
    • (Shakespeare)
    References
    * *

    Verb

  • (ambitransitive) To breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion or from eagerness or excitement; to respire with heaving of the breast; to gasp.
  • * Dryden
    • Pluto plants for breath from out his cell.
  • * Shelley
    • There is a cavern where my spirit / Was panted forth in anguish.
    {{quote-Fanny Hill, part=2 , Charles had just slipp'd the bolt of the door, and running, caught me in his arms, and lifting me from the ground, with his lips glew'd to mine, bore me, trembling, panting , dying, with soft fears and tender wishes, to the bed}}
  • To long for (something); to be eager for (something).
  • * Herbert
    • Then shall our hearts pant thee.
  • To long eagerly; to desire earnestly.
  • * Bible, Psalms xlii. 1
    • As the hart panteth after the water brooks.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Who pants for glory finds but short repose.
  • Of the heart, to beat with unnatural violence or rapidity; to palpitate.
    • (Spenser)
  • To sigh; to flutter; to languish.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • The whispering breeze / Pants on the leaves, and dies upon the trees.
    Synonyms
    * (breathe quickly or in a labored manner) gasp * (long for) crave, desire, long for, pine for * (long eagerly) crave, desire, long, pine * palpitate, pound, throb

    Etymology 2

    From pants

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (fashion) A pair of pants (trousers or underpants).
  • (used attributively as a modifier) Of or relating to pants.
    • Pant leg
    Derived terms
    * pant cuff * pant leg * pantsuit, pant suit * panty, panties

    Etymology 3

    Unknown

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a public drinking fountain in Scotland and North-East England

    • References

    * PMSA page with several examples * OED 2nd edition

    Anagrams

    * * English intransitive verbs English transitive verbs ----

    pent

    English

    Adjective

  • Confined in a pen, imprisoned.
    • ''My object all sublime
    ''I shall achieve in time —
    ''To let the punishment fit the crime —
    ''The punishment fit the crime;
    ''And make each prisoner pent
    ''Unwillingly represent
    ''A source of innocent merriment!
    Of innocent merriment!'' — W.S. Gilbert, '' .

    Usage notes

    Use of bare "pent", as in the Gilbert quotation above, has become less common over time. (Use of "pent up" or "pent in" remains about as common.)

    Verb

    (head)
  • (pen);

    • See also

    * -pent- * pent- * penta- * pent-up

    Anagrams

    * ----