# gas and air

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/gas-and-air
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An equal mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen, used as a mild analgesic and anaesthetic, particularly during childbirth, for dental procedures, and in emergency medicine.

## Examples

- She used gas and air during labour to ease the pain.
- The dentist offered him gas and air to stay calm while she pulled the tooth.
- In the cramped ambulance, the paramedic administered gas and air to the injured cyclist, whose wrist hung at an unnatural angle.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.