breathing

[ bree-th ing ]

/ ˈbri ðɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR breathing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or other animal that breathes; respiration.

a single breath.

the short time required for a single breath.

a pause, as for breath.

utterance or words.

a gentle moving or blowing, as of wind.

Classical Greek Grammar.

the manner of articulating the beginning of a word written with an initial vowel sign, with or without aspiration before the vowel.
one of the two symbols used to indicate this.Compare rough breathing, smooth breathing.

Nearby words

breathe easy, breathe life into, breathe one's last, breathed, breather, breathing, breathing bag, breathing reserve, breathing space, breathless, breathtaking

Origin of breathing

First recorded in 1350–1400, breathing is from the Middle English word brethynge. See breathe, -ing¹

Related forms

breath·ing·ly, adverbun·breath·ing, adjective

Definition for breathing (2 of 2)

breathe

[ breeth ]

/ brið /

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; take rest: How about giving me a chance to breathe?

to move gently or blow lightly, as air.

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

to be redolent of.

(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.

to express; manifest.

to allow to rest or recover breath: to breathe a horse.

to deprive of breath; tire; exhaust.

to cause to pant; exercise.

Origin of breathe

1250–1300; Middle English brethen, derivative of breath

SYNONYMS FOR breathe

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR breathe ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Can be confused

breadth breath breathe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for breathing

He said, ‘They’re both shot in the head and neither of them are breathing.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So many eighteen-year-old girls,” says Oliona, “breathing down my neck.
Russia’s Gold Digger Academy|Peter Pomerantsev|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
However, in calm, deep wave sleep, breathing and pulse is slow and regular, and movements are more than rare, he says.
The Tracker That Might Actually Help You Sleep Better|DailyBurn|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Take, for instance, those with sleep apnea, in which breathing periodically stops and starts throughout the night.
The Tracker That Might Actually Help You Sleep Better|DailyBurn|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

For instance, in active REM sleep, breathing and pulse may be irregular, and small muscular twitches are common.
The Tracker That Might Actually Help You Sleep Better|DailyBurn|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Breathing through a tube, if continued for a long time, interferes with the natural growth of the air-passage above it.
A System of Operative Surgery, Volume IV (of 4)|Various
Breathing equably and quietly, the strange figure lay stretched upon the bed.
The Return|Walter de la Mare
He was breathing heavily, as if asleep, and she dared not speak.
Those Dale Girls|Frank Weston Carruth
All was so quiet that my own breathing sounded loud and noisy.
Boycotted|Talbot Baines Reed
"Except the Straits—" I muttered very indistinctly, breathing deep and hard.
Afloat And Ashore|James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for breathing (1 of 2)

breathing

/ (ˈbriːðɪŋ) /

noun

the passage of air into and out of the lungs to supply the body with oxygen

a single breatha breathing between words

an utterancea breathing of hate

a soft movement, esp of air

a rest or pause

phonetics

expulsion of breath (rough breathing) or absence of such expulsion (smooth breathing) preceding the pronunciation of an initial vowel or rho in ancient Greek
either of two symbols indicating this

British Dictionary definitions for breathing (2 of 2)

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

Medicine definitions for breathing

breathing

[ brē′ðĭng ]

n.

The alternate inhalation and exhalation of air in respiration.

Idioms and Phrases with breathing

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