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breathe

Pronunciation: /briːð/

Translate breathe | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of breathe

verb

[no object]
  • take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process:she was breathing deeply breathe in through your nose he breathed out heavily [with object]:we are polluting the air we breathe
  • be alive; remain living:at least I’m still breathing
  • literary (of wind) blow softly.
  • [with direct speech] say something with quiet intensity:‘We’re together at last,’ she breathed
  • (of an animal or plant) respire or exchange gases:plants breathe through their roots
  • [with object] give an impression of (something):the whole room breathed an air of hygienic efficiency
  • (of wine) be exposed to fresh air:letting a wine breathe allows oxygen to enter
  • (of material or soil) admit or emit air or moisture:let your lawn breathe by putting air into the soil
  • [with object] allow (a horse) to rest after exertion.
  • (breathe upon) archaic or literary tarnish or taint:before the queen’s fair name was breathed upon

Phrases

breathe (freely) again

relax after being frightened or tense about something:she wouldn’t breathe freely again until she was airborne

breathe down someone's neck

follow closely behind someone: three wins would have seen us breathing down the neck of United at the top of the table
constantly check up on someone: she’s quite capable of looking after herself without her parents breathing down her neck all the time

breathe one's last

die: as soon as King Henry had breathed his last the barons turned on each other

breathe (new) life into

fill with enthusiasm and energy; reinvigorate:the Prime Minister would breathe new life into his party

breathe a sigh of relief

exhale noisily as a sign of relief:they breathed a great sigh of relief after the election was won

not breathe a word

remain silent about something secret: they would never breathe a word of anything that happened on that fateful night

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'exhale, steam'): from breath

breathe in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of breathe in the US English dictionary

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