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Breathe Breathed Breathing Air I Briːð Mouth Verb

Word breathe
WordType (verb)
Phonetic BrE / briːð / NAmE / briːð /
Example
  • he breathed deeply before speaking again.
  • the air was so cold we could hardly breathe.
  • she was beginning to breathe more easily.
  • he was breathing heavily after his exertions.
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breathe

(verb)BrE / briːð / NAmE / briːð /
  1. to take air into your lungs and send it out again through your nose or mouth
    • He breathed deeply before speaking again.
    • The air was so cold we could hardly breathe.
    • She was beginning to breathe more easily.
    • He was breathing heavily after his exertions.
    • Most people don't realize that they are breathing polluted air.
  2. to send air, smoke or a particular smell out of your mouth
    • He came up close, breathing alcohol fumes all over me.
  3. to say something quietly
    • ‘I'm over here,’ she breathed.
  4. if you allow wine to breathe, you open the bottle and let air get in before you drink it
  5. if cloth, leather, skin, etc. can breathe, air can move around or through it
    • Cotton clothing allows your skin to breathe.
  6. to be full of a particular feeling or quality
    • Her performance breathed wit and charm.
  7. to feel calm again after something unpleasant or frightening has ended
    • Once he was safely back in prison, she was able to breathe easily again.
  8. to watch closely what somebody is doing in a way that makes them feel anxious and/or annoyed
    • I can’t get any work done with you breathing down my neck.
  9. to die
  10. to improve something by introducing new ideas and making people more interested in it
    • The results of their research have breathed new life into the debate.
  11. to relax and stop worrying
    • You can rest easy—I'm not going to tell anyone.
  12. to be very enthusiastic about something
    • He just lives and breathes football.

    Extra Examples

    • ‘Where are you?’ breathed a voice in the dark.
    • Always breathe through your nose.
    • He breathed in her scent.
    • He breathed the words against her ear.
    • He hardly dared breathe in case they heard him.
    • He was breathing raggedly, mouth open.
    • I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
    • I can barely breathe here.
    • I can’t breathe properly—I’m gasping for air!
    • She breathed slowly in and out.
    • She rushed into my office breathing fire and threatening me with a lawyer.
    • The men breathe air that is filtered to remove any dust or gas.
    • They were both breathing hard from the steep climb.
    • Try not to breathe in the fumes.
    • Try to breathe normally.
    • You know I’d never breathe a word to anyone.
    • ‘I’m over here,’ she breathed.

    Verb Forms

    • present simple I / you / we / they breathe
    • he / she / it breathes
    • past simple breathed
    • past participle breathed
    • -ing form breathing

    Word Origin

    • Middle English (in the sense ‘exhale, steam’): from breath.
Copyright This card's content is collected from the following dictionaries: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Tags: b

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