BREATHE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does breathe mean? 

• BREATHE (verb)
  The verb BREATHE has 9 senses:

1. draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

2. be alive

3. impart as if by breathing

4. allow the passage of air through

5. utter or tell

6. manifest or evince

7. take a short break from one's activities in order to relax

8. reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked

9. expel (gases or odors)

  Familiarity information: BREATHE used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BREATHE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they breathe    ... he / she / it breathes   
Past simple: breathed   
Past participle: breathed   
-ing form: breathing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

breathe; respire; suspire; take a breath

Context example:

The patient is respiring

"Breathe" entails doing...:

breathe out; exhale; expire (expel air)

breathe in; inhale; inspire (draw in (air))

Verb group:

respire (breathe easily again, as after exertion or anxiety)

respire (undergo the biomedical and metabolic processes of respiration by taking up oxygen and producing carbon monoxide)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "breathe"):

respire (breathe easily again, as after exertion or anxiety)

choke (breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion)

hyperventilate (breathe excessively hard and fast)

hiccough; hiccup (breathe spasmodically, and make a sound)

sigh; suspire (heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily)

breathe out; exhale; expire (expel air)

breathe in; inhale; inspire (draw in (air))

wheeze (breathe with difficulty)

yawn (utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired)

saw logs; saw wood; snore (breathe noisily during one's sleep)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Also:

breathe in (draw in (air))

breathe out (expel air)

Derivation:

breather (air passage provided by a retractable device containing intake and exhaust pipes; permits a submarine to stay submerged for extended periods of time)

breathing (the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be alive

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

Every creature that breathes

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

exist; live; subsist; survive (support oneself)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Impart as if by breathing

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

He breathed new life into the old house

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

instill; transfuse (impart gradually)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Allow the passage of air through

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

Our new synthetic fabric breathes and is perfect for summer wear

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 5

Meaning:

Utter or tell

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

not breathe a word

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Manifest or evince

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

She breathes the Christian spirit

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

convey ((of information) make known; pass on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sense 7

Meaning:

Take a short break from one's activities in order to relax

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

breathe; catch one's breath; rest; take a breather

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

break; intermit; pause (cease an action temporarily)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue breathe

Derivation:

breather (a short respite)

breathing (the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

This rare Bordeaux must be allowed to breathe for at least 2 hours

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

oxidate; oxidise; oxidize (add oxygen to or combine with oxygen)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 9

Meaning:

Expel (gases or odors)

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

breathe; emit; pass off

Hypernyms (to "breathe" is one way to...):

discharge; eject; exhaust; expel; release (eliminate (a substance))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "breathe"):

belch; bubble; burp; eruct (expel gas from the stomach)

force out (emit or cause to move with force of effort)

emanate; exhale; give forth (give out (breath or an odor))

radiate (send out real or metaphoric rays)

bubble (form, produce, or emit bubbles)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs and locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We had all risen to our feet, our prisoner breathing hard, with a stalwart constable on each side of him.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Most people breathe in the spores of the fungus every day without being affected.

(Aspergillosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The man breathed an unconscious sigh of relief, then laughed defiantly, and said, "Thin I'm thinkin' the damn bunk won't be achin' me back anny more, an' that's a consolation."

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

A chronic disease in which the bronchial airways in the lungs become narrowed and swollen, making it difficult to breathe.

(Asthma, NCI Dictionary)

He paused, open-mouthed, on the verge of the pit of his own depravity and utter worthlessness to breathe the same air she did.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Remember that I have breathed thirty miles of Surrey air this morning.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Symptoms include coughing, trouble breathing, and chest pain caused by scarring and permanent damage to lung tissue.

(Asbestosis, NCI Dictionary)

A form of exercise that combines body movement, mental focus, and controlled breathing to improve strength, balance, flexibility, and overall health.

(Mind-body exercise, NCI Dictionary)

Then the flood seemed suddenly to subside and I was breathing the good air again.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)