Breathing Defined

World Book Dictionary*

1. breathing
   n. respiration: the sick man’s labored breathing.

2. a single breath.

3. a) the time needed for a single breath; a very short time: It was there only for the breathing of a second (Benjamin Disraeli). b) a pause; rest.

4. a remark; utterance: Hide not thine ear at my breathing (Lamentations 3:56).

5. a slight breeze; a soft wind: The breathings of the lightest air that blows (William Cowper).

6. a the sound of the letter h; aspiration. b either of two marks, like single inverted commas, placed above a vowel in Greek to show whether it is aspirated.

7. physical exercise, as stimulating breathing.

8. aspiration; longing.

–adj.
1. respiring; living.
2. Figurative. lifelike: The portrait was a real breathing likeness.

breath «brehth», noun.
the air drawn into and forced out of the lungs: The drowning man gasped for a breath.
the act of breathing: The injured man’s breath was labored. SYNONYM(S): respiration.
the moisture from breathing: You can see your breath on a very cold day.
the ability to breathe easily:
Running fast made him lose his breath.
a) a single drawing in and forcing out of air from the body: I’ll fight to the last breath (Harriet Beecher Stowe).
b) the air drawn in: Take a deep breath, and hold it.
c) the time required for one breath; a moment: Love that endures for a breath (Algernon Charles Swinburne).
Figurative. a slight movement in the air; light breeze: Not a breath was stirring.
time to breathe freely; respite: Give me some little breath, some pause, dear Lord (Shakespeare). SYNONYM(S): rest, pause.
Figurative. something said softly; whisper.
Figurative. a slight trace or suggestion; hint: the breath of suspicion. This administration has not been marred by one breath of scandal. SYNONYM(S): stain, film, taint. efn>= life. SYNONYM(S): existence.
Phonetics. forming a sound without motion of the vocal cords, producing such consonants as h, s, f, p, t, k.
the fragrance given off, especially by flowers; odor; smell: the breath of spring. SYNONYM(S): scent.
anything trivial or short-lived: a dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy (Shakespeare).
Obsolete. vapor; steam; exhalation.

catch one’s breath,
a to gasp; pant: The dogs were catching their breath after the long chase. b to stop for breath; rest: He took off a few minutes from the game to catch his breath. c to hold one’s breath suddenly in emotion: When the little girl saw the new doll, she caught her breath for joy.

hold one’s breath,
to check exhalation: We all held our breath as we listened for the noise again.

in the same breath,
at the same time: She laughed and cried in the same breath. b Figurative. in the same category or class: Many critics consider it sacrilege to mention him [a bullfighter] in the same breath with Manolete, Belmonte,…or Paco Camino (Time).

out of breath,
short of breath; breathless: At the end of the race the winner was out of breath.

save one’s breath,
to keep silent: You might as well save your breath, since no one is listening to you.

take (or gather) breath,
to rest for a moment; pause to rest or reflect: The exhausted workers sat down to take breath.

take the breath (away),
to make breathless with surprise or shock; dumfound; flabbergast: But the growth since the war has taken the breath of even experts (Wall Street Journal).

under (or below) one’s breath,
in a whisper: She was talking under her breath so no one could hear.
[Old English br odor; steam]

* We chose the world book due to its contemporary accuracy stemming from usage in the world book encyclopedia.