breathe

[ breeth ]

/ brið /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: breathe / breathing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), breathed

[breethd], /briðd/, breath·ing.

to take air, oxygen, etc., into the lungs and expel it; inhale and exhale; respire.

(in speech) to control the outgoing breath in producing voice and speech sounds.

to pause, as for breath or rest: How about giving me a chance to breathe?

to move gently or blow lightly, as air.

to live; exist: Hardly a person breathes who has not known great sorrow.

to be redolent or suggestive: a poem breathing of the sights and sounds of a rustic life.

(of a material) to allow air and moisture to pass through easily: The jacket is comfortable because the fabric breathes.

(of the skin) to absorb oxygen and give off perspiration.

(of a wine) to be exposed to air after being uncorked, in order to develop flavor and bouquet.

verb (used with object), breathed

[breethd], /briðd/, breath·ing.

to inhale and exhale in respiration.

to exhale: Dragons breathe fire.

to inject as if by breathing; infuse: She breathed life into the party.

to give utterance to; whisper: She breathed a prayer of thanks when everyone escaped the fire unharmed.

to express; manifest: This coming-of-age novel breathes the torments and joys of adolescence.

to allow to rest or recover breath: After this next hill, we should breathe the horses.

to deprive of breath; tire; exhaust.

to cause to pant; exercise.

OTHER WORDS FOR breathe

14 utter, tell, murmur, voice; reveal, divulge.

See synonyms for breathe on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about breathe

breathe down someone's neck,

to be close to someone in pursuit; menace; threaten: Police from four states were breathing down his neck.
to watch someone closely so as to supervise or control: If everyone keeps breathing down my neck, how can I get my work done?

breathe freely, to have relief from anxiety, tension, or pressure: Now that the crisis was over, he could breathe freely.Also breathe easily, breathe easy.

breathe one's last, to die: He breathed his last and was buried in the churchyard.

not breathe a word / syllable, to maintain secrecy; keep a matter confidential: I'll tell you if you promise not to breathe a word.

Origin of breathe

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English brethe, brethen, breeth, derivative of breath

OTHER WORDS FROM breathe

out·breathe, verb (used with object), out·breathed, out·breath·ing.pre·breathe, verb (used with object), pre·breathed, pre·breath·ing.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH breathe

breadth, breath, breathe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use breathe in a sentence

Whether BuzzFeed can find breathe new life into HuffPost or not, it had become unwelcome at Verizon Media Group, according to multiple former employees.
‘They wanted to unload it bad’: Why HuffPost made sense for BuzzFeed – and Verizon Media Group|Max Willens|November 20, 2020|Digiday
People can breathe such tiny particles deeply into their lungs, where they can cause disease.
Surprising long-haul dust and tar are melting high glaciers|Sid Perkins|November 17, 2020|Science News For Students
This condition is caused by a buildup of excess nitrogen in the body from breathing pressurized air at depth.
Take a stab at spearfishing with these tips|Same Romano/Outdoor Life|November 16, 2020|Popular-Science
The Finder dock now floats a touch above the bottom of the screen and menus have a little more space to breathe.
macOS Big Sur is now available|Brian Heater|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch

We still are in the dark about some aspects of the coronavirus, but we know that it has taken the lives of more than 240,000 Americans and that it generally affects the ability of an infected person to breathe comfortably.
How the pandemic got people smoking again|Melinda Fakuade|November 12, 2020|Vox
After a long period of convalescence following her breakdown, she breathes a sigh of relief when she is able to write.
The Neglected Penelope Mortimer Was a Novelist Ahead of Her Time|Jessica Ferri|March 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He is paralyzed, breathes through a ventilator, and communicates via a sophisticated computer.
A Brief History of Hawking’s Boycott|Matthew Kalman|May 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I wear a disguise when I [appear as William Breathes] in public.
William Breathes on Being America’s First Marijuana Critic|Melissa Leon|April 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
R immediately falls for Julie, who breathes life into him and even inspires the grunting mute to talk ... and stop eating brains.
Nicholas Hoult on ‘Warm Bodies,’ ‘X-Men,’ Jennifer Lawrence & More|Marlow Stern|February 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Breathes there a soul brave enough to go near the beach after seeing this film?
Jaws’s Anniversary: Newsweek’s 1975 Review|Arthur Cooper|June 20, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Suddenly she stamps one little foot savagely under the table, and, clenching her jeweled hands, breathes heavily.
The Real Latin Quarter|F. Berkeley Smith
She smiled with the air of a woman who breathes freely once more after passing through some grave peril.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
A pallid haze breathes wanly on the surface of the impassive sky.
The Dragon Painter|Mary McNeil Fenollosa
He who breathes his last over there, lying in his blood-stained bath, has never known this sacred flame.
The Nabob|Alphonse Daudet
He was like one who breathes his last with straining gaze settled on some loved face, parting from which is worse than death.
Overland|John William De Forest

British Dictionary definitions for breathe

breathe

/ (briːð) /

verb

to take in oxygen from (the surrounding medium, esp air) and give out carbon dioxide; respire

(intr) to exist; be aliveevery animal that breathes on earth

(intr) to rest to regain breath, composure, etcstop your questions, and give me a chance to breathe

(intr) (esp of air) to blow lightlythe wind breathed through the trees

(intr) machinery

to take in air, esp for combustionthe engine breathes through this air filter
to equalize the pressure within a container, chamber, etc, with atmospheric pressurethe crankcase breathes through this duct

(tr) phonetics to articulate (a speech sound) without vibration of the vocal cordsCompare voice (def. 19)

to exhale or emitthe dragon breathed fire

(tr) to impart; instilto breathe confidence into the actors

(tr) to speak softly; whisperto breathe words of love

(tr) to permit to restto breathe a horse

(intr) (of a material) to allow air to pass through so that perspiration can evaporate

breathe again, breathe freely or breathe easily to feel reliefI could breathe again after passing the exam

breathe down someone's neck to stay close to someone, esp to oversee what they are doingthe cops are breathing down my neck

breathe one's last to die or be finished or defeated

Word Origin for breathe

C13: from breath

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with breathe

breathe

In addition to the idioms beginning with breathe

breathe down someone's neck
breathe easy
breathe life into
breathe one's last

also see:

as I live and breathe
breathing space
not breathe a word

breathe

OTHER WORDS FOR breathe

Idioms about breathe

Origin of breathe

OTHER WORDS FROM breathe

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH breathe

Words related to breathe

How to use breathe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for breathe

Word Origin for breathe

Other Idioms and Phrases with breathe