gape 作动词最常见意思是“(因惊讶、震惊、好奇等)张大嘴、目瞪口呆地盯着看”;也可指“(伤口、裂缝等)裂开、敞开”。作名词时可指“张口;裂口/缺口”。
/ɡeɪp/
He just stood there and gaped at the magician.
他就站在那里,目瞪口呆地盯着魔术师看。
As the old building was demolished, a huge gap seemed to gape where the front wall used to be, drawing crowds who stopped to stare.
旧楼被拆除后,原本前墙的位置像是张开了一个巨大的缺口,引来人群驻足围观。
gape 来自古英语 gāpian,意为“张口、打哈欠、张着嘴看”,与日耳曼语系中表示“张开、裂开”的词根相关。它从“嘴巴张开”的动作,延伸到“惊讶地盯着看”和“裂口敞开”等含义。