Word for "opening and closing the mouth?"


Example:



The stranded fish were flapping desperately on the sand, their mouths closing and opening, seeking for the water that wasn't there.



Is there's a word that means opening and closing the mouth? I thought of gaping but I think it only means keeping the mouth open?



Answer



The idiomatic way of saying this is



The stranded fish were flapping desperately on the sand, gasping for breath.



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