Lewis & Short

ănhēlo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. and a. [2. anand halo].

  1. I. Verb. neutr.
    1. A. Pr., to move about for breath; hence, to draw the breath with great difficulty, to pant, puff, gasp, etc.: anhelat inconstanter, Lucr. 3, 490: cum languida anhelant, id. 4, 864: * Ter. Hec. 5, 3, 25: anhelans ex imis pulmonibus prae curā spiritus ducebatur, Auct. ad Her. 4, 33: anhelans Colla fovet, Verg. A. 10, 837; 5, 254 al.: nullus anhelabat sub adunco vomere taurus, Ov. F. 2, 295: sudare atque anhelare, Col. 2, 3, 2.
      In gen., to breathe (cf. anhelitus, II.), Prud. Apoth. 919.
    2. B. Metaph., of fire: fornacibus ignis anhelat, roars, Verg. A. 8, 421.
      Of the earth: subter anhelat humus, heaves, Stat. S. 1, 1, 56.
      Of the foaming of the sea, Sil. 9, 286.
      Trop., of poverty panting for something: anhelans inopia, Just. 9, 1, 6.
  2. II. Verb. act., to breathe out, to emit by breathing, breathe forth, exhale: nolo verba exiliter exanimata exire, nolo inflata et quasi anhelata gravius, Cic. de Or. 3, 11, 38: de pectore frigus anhelans Capricornus, vet. poët. ap. Cic. N. D. 2, 44: anhelati ignes, Ov. F. 4, 492; so id. H. 12, 15: rabiem anhelare, Luc. 6, 92: anhelatis exsurgens ictibus alnus, the strokes of the oars made with panting, Sil. 14, 379.
    Trop., to pursue, pant for, strive after something with eagerness: Catilinam furentem audaciā, scelus anhelantem, breathing out wickedness, Cic. Cat. 2, 1: anhelans ex imo pectore crudelitatem, Auct. ad Her. 4, 55.
    Note: Some, as Corssen, Ausspr. II. p. 564, regard the prefix of this word as the Gr. ἀνά; hence, pr. to draw up the breath; cf. antestor.