Lungsful

I balanced myself on my staff, taking in great lungsful of air, licking my dry lips and wiping the stinging perspiration from my eyes. ❋ PETER DAVID (2001)

It was like being born again as my head crunched through the hoary crust, and I gasped in great lungsful of air. ❋ PETER DAVID (2001)

He gasped in lungsful of air and felt a sharp stabbing pain. ❋ Peter David (1999)

She watched him uneasily as he took in great lungsful of air, using all of his strength to hold himself stiff. ❋ Niven, Larry (1976)

His ragged lungsful of air came in great gasps and he doubted if he could take the exertion of more tree travel now. ❋ Andre Norton (1958)

He lay inhaling great lungsful of pure, invigorating air. ❋ Unknown (1914)

And I thought with myself, 'It is then the will of God that I shall neither sleep nor lie at peace this night!' and I said, 'Thy will be done!' and laid myself out to be quiet, expecting, as on former occasions, my breathing would begin to grow thick and hard, and by and by I should have to struggle for every lungsful. ❋ George MacDonald (1864)

a huge lungsful of air, "might be sufficient to teach poor ephemerals kindness and consideration enough to last their time." ❋ George MacDonald (1864)