breathe
Americanverb (used without object)
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to take air, oxygen, etc., into the lungs and expel it; inhale and exhale; respire.
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(in speech) to control the outgoing breath in producing voice and speech sounds.
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to pause, as for breath or rest.
How about giving me a chance to breathe?
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to move gently or blow lightly, as air.
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Hardly a person breathes who has not known great sorrow.
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to be redolent or suggestive.
a poem breathing of the sights and sounds of a rustic life.
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(of a material) to allow air and moisture to pass through easily.
The jacket is comfortable because the fabric breathes.
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(of the skin) to absorb oxygen and give off perspiration.
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(of a wine) to be exposed to air after being uncorked, in order to develop flavor and bouquet.
verb (used with object)
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to inhale and exhale in respiration.
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to exhale.
Dragons breathe fire.
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to inject as if by breathing; infuse.
She breathed life into the party.
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to give utterance to; whisper.
She breathed a prayer of thanks when everyone escaped the fire unharmed.
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This coming-of-age novel breathes the torments and joys of adolescence.
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to allow to rest or recover breath.
After this next hill, we should breathe the horses.
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to cause to pant; exercise.
idioms
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not breathe a word / syllable, to maintain secrecy; keep a matter confidential.
I'll tell you if you promise not to breathe a word.
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breathe one's last, to die.
He breathed his last and was buried in the churchyard.
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breathe freely, to have relief from anxiety, tension, or pressure: Also breathe easily, breathe easy.
Now that the crisis was over, he could breathe freely.
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breathe down someone's neck,
verb
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to take in oxygen from (the surrounding medium, esp air) and give out carbon dioxide; respire
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(intr) to exist; be alive
every animal that breathes on earth
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(intr) to rest to regain breath, composure, etc
stop your questions, and give me a chance to breathe
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(intr) (esp of air) to blow lightly
the wind breathed through the trees
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(intr) machinery
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to take in air, esp for combustion
the engine breathes through this air filter
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to equalize the pressure within a container, chamber, etc, with atmospheric pressure
the crankcase breathes through this duct
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(tr) phonetics to articulate (a speech sound) without vibration of the vocal cords Compare voice
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to exhale or emit
the dragon breathed fire
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(tr) to impart; instil
to breathe confidence into the actors
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(tr) to speak softly; whisper
to breathe words of love
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(tr) to permit to rest
to breathe a horse
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(intr) (of a material) to allow air to pass through so that perspiration can evaporate
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to feel relief
I could breathe again after passing the exam
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to stay close to someone, esp to oversee what they are doing
the cops are breathing down my neck
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to die or be finished or defeated
Usage
Spelling tips for breathe The verb breathe is hard to spell because it is commonly confused with the noun breath, and it only differs by adding a silent e to the end.How to spell breathe: The verb breathe is pronounced [ breeth ] with a long E sound, unlike the noun breath [ breath ]. All that E sound reminds you that there is a final e at the end of breathe.
Other Word Forms
- outbreathe verb (used with object)
- prebreathe verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of breathe
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English brethe, brethen, breeth, derivative of breath
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pulling her closer, we embrace, her head resting on my chest, and in silence, we breathe our scent and hear the beating of our hearts.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
The breakup would cost $300 million and require countless hours of work from the same people needed to breathe life back into the brands.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
"If I had learned more about breathwork when I was younger or how to properly breathe, it would have been a huge help," she says.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
But analysts aren’t so sure that the event will be able to breathe new life into Nvidia’s stock.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 15, 2026
"Now for heaven's sake, don't sit in here and try to breathe flame," said Jeremy as he led Tiamat into the barn.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
