breath
breath — noun
1. air moving through your lungs while you breathe.
air moving through your lungs while you breathe.
Cold air made Mira's breath look white outside the bakery.
breath as visible air in cold weather
The nurse checked for breath after the swimmer was pulled ashore.
check for breath in an emergency
Garlic from lunch stayed on Bao's breath through the afternoon class.
on somebody's breath
Fear made my breath quick and noisy in the dark stairwell.
- bad breath
- white breath
- check for breath
- smell on somebody's breath
- air
broader; not specifically the air a person moves in and out of the lungs
- exhalation
more technical and usually stresses the air going out
- respiration
formal and scientific rather than everyday
Grammar Patterns
on somebody's breath
check for breath
Usage Note
Common with verbs and phrases about smell, visibility, or signs of life: check for breath, feel breath on your face, bad breath. Distinguish from sense 7, which counts one single inhalation or exhalation.
Common Mistakes
2. a short stop that lets your breathing become normal again after effort or shock.
a short stop that lets your breathing become normal again after effort or shock.
After carrying the sofa upstairs, I sat down to catch my breath.
catch your breath after effort
Leila stopped halfway up the hill to get her breath back.
get your breath back
Startled by the crash, Grandpa Yusuf needed a minute to catch his breath.
The goalkeeper bent over briefly, trying to get her breath back.
- catch your breath
- get your breath back
- stop to catch your breath
- breather
informal and broader; can mean any short rest
- recovery pause
clearer in exercise or medical contexts
- rest
broader and does not specifically suggest breathing returning to normal
Grammar Patterns
catch your breath
get your breath back
Usage Note
Usually follows 'catch' or 'get ... back'. It is about your body settling after running, climbing, or a sudden shock, unlike sense 4, which is a work pause between tasks.
Common Mistakes
3. the simple act of breathing, especially in the phrase 'draw breath'.
the simple act of breathing, especially in the phrase 'draw breath'.
After the rescue, Omar could finally draw breath without coughing.
draw breath = breathe
Smoke filled the kitchen so fast that nobody could draw breath.
negative form: could not draw breath
The newborn calf drew breath and then struggled onto its legs.
Even through the mask, Theo struggled to draw breath in the dust.
- draw breath
- can hardly draw breath
- struggle to draw breath
- breathe
plain verb equivalent outside the fixed phrase
- respire
formal and uncommon in everyday speech
- take in air
paraphrase that explains the physical action
Grammar Patterns
draw breath
Usage Note
Most often used with 'draw'. It talks about being physically able to breathe at all, not about taking one deliberate inhale like sense 8.
4. a brief break before the next task, call, or event begins.
a brief break before the next task, call, or event begins.
Between serving tables, the waiter barely had time to draw breath.
barely have time to draw breath
After three school visits, the campaign team paused for breath in the van.
pause for breath between tasks
Ms. Okafor barely drew breath before the next parent arrived.
The kitchen staff had no chance to draw breath during the lunch rush.
- draw breath
- pause for breath
- no time to draw breath
Grammar Patterns
draw breath
pause for breath
Usage Note
Often appears when someone is busy and moves straight to the next thing. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about breathing recovering after exertion, not simply getting a brief gap in activity.
5. air kept inside your lungs for a moment when you stop breathing out.
air kept inside your lungs for a moment when you stop breathing out.
The children held their breath as they swam under the floating dock.
hold your breath underwater
Before diving, Yara held her breath and slipped below the surface.
The doctor asked Ravi to hold his breath during the chest scan.
hold your breath for a medical test
For the x-ray, Mei held her breath until the machine stopped buzzing.
- hold your breath
- hold your breath underwater
- hold your breath for an x-ray
- stop breathing
plain paraphrase, though less exact about keeping air inside
- suspend breathing
formal and medical
- keep still
often happens at the same time in scans, but not the same meaning
- breathe out
releasing the air instead of keeping it in
Grammar Patterns
hold your breath
Usage Note
Usually follows 'hold'. Most often literal in swimming, diving, singing, or medical instructions. Distinguish from sense 6, which uses the same words figuratively for anxious waiting.
Common Mistakes
6. an anxious or excited way of waiting for news or an event, as if your breathing
an anxious or excited way of waiting for news or an event, as if your breathing briefly pauses.
Families watched the hospital doors with bated breath during the storm.
fixed phrase: with bated breath
Parents waited with bated breath for the exam results.
The class listened with bated breath as the winner's name was read.
Fans watched the final kick with bated breath in the school hall.
- with bated breath
- wait with bated breath
- watch with bated breath
- anticipation
broader and more neutral; it does not suggest the same tense feeling
- suspense
focuses on uncertainty itself, not on the people waiting
- calm
shows a relaxed state instead of tense waiting
Grammar Patterns
with bated breath
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'with bated breath', rather than as a free noun phrase.
Common Mistakes
7. one time when you breathe in.
one time when you breathe in.
Before the photo, Aiko took a breath and fixed her hair.
take a breath
The nurse told Ravi to take one breath before the test.
one breath = one inhaling action
At the cold window, Diego drew a sharp breath and smiled.
After crying, the child finally took a long, steady breath.
- take a breath
- draw a breath
- one breath
- inhalation
more formal and more common in medical writing
- intake
used especially when breathing is measured or controlled
- exhalation
the action of breathing air out
Grammar Patterns
take a breath
draw a breath
Usage Note
Focuses on the action of breathing in. Distinguish from sense 8, which treats breath as the amount of air taken in.
Common Mistakes
8. the amount of air you take in with one intake into your lungs.
the amount of air you take in with one intake into your lungs.
Each breath felt smaller as Yusuf ran up the hill.
each breath = each amount of air taken in
The doctor counted Hana's breaths while she slept in the clinic.
One deep breath eased some of the pain in Theo's chest.
a deep breath
Every breath brought cold air deep into Noa's lungs.
- deep breath
- every breath
- between breaths
- lungful
close in meaning, but less common in everyday use
- inhalation
can overlap, but often sounds more formal and action-focused
- exhalation
the amount of air breathed out
Grammar Patterns
a deep breath
each breath
between breaths
Usage Note
Often appears with words that measure or describe the air itself, such as 'deep', 'shallow', 'every', or 'between'. Distinguish from sense 7, which highlights the act of breathing in.
Common Mistakes
9. even the weakest little movement in the air.
even the weakest little movement in the air.
There was not a breath of wind on the lake at sunrise.
not a breath of wind
The old flag hung still; not a breath of air moved it.
By noon, the garden was hot and without a breath of wind.
Not even the leaves shook, because there was no breath of wind.
- not a breath of wind
- not a breath of air
- without a breath of wind
- gale
a very strong wind, the opposite extreme
Grammar Patterns
not a breath of wind
not a breath of air
Usage Note
Usually appears in negative statements to stress complete stillness, especially with 'wind' or 'air'.
Common Mistakes
10. a brief time outside, especially to get some fresh air after being indoors.
a brief time outside, especially to get some fresh air after being indoors.
After three hours inside, Priya went out for a breath of fresh air.
go out for a breath of fresh air
The cook stepped outside for a quick breath of fresh air.
During the long meeting, Jin slipped outside for a breath of fresh air.
The children asked for a breath of fresh air after the bus ride.
- breath of fresh air
- go out for a breath of fresh air
- step outside for a breath of fresh air
Grammar Patterns
go out for a breath of fresh air
step outside for a breath of fresh air
Usage Note
Most often part of the phrase 'a breath of fresh air' when someone briefly goes outside. Distinguish from sense 9, which is about a tiny movement of wind.
Common Mistakes
11. life itself, used in phrases about people who have ever lived.
life itself, used in phrases about people who have ever lived.
Beside the trophy case, the coach said no runner who drew breath matched Zara.
who drew breath = who lived
At the shelter, Ravi said every child who drew breath deserved hot soup.
In the museum, few painters who ever drew breath matched Imani's storm paintings.
ever drew breath in broad comparison
The village called Aunt Rosa the bravest woman ever to draw breath.
- who drew breath
- ever to draw breath
- die
the direct opposite in meaning
Grammar Patterns
who drew breath
ever to draw breath
Usage Note
Usually follows 'draw' in broad claims or comparisons. It sounds elevated and emphatic. Distinguish from sense 3, where 'draw breath' means the physical act of breathing.
Clean air that you breathe when you go outside after being in a closed space.
After working inside all morning, Min went out for a breath of fresh air.
The children ran outside to get a breath of fresh air during recess.
A person or thing that is new, different, and exciting.
The new teacher was a breath of fresh air for the students.
Her creative ideas were a breath of fresh air in the company.
Something that is extremely important and necessary for someone's happiness or existence.
Music has been the breath of life to Sara since she was a child.
For Diego, painting is the breath of life that keeps him going.
catch your breath
idiomTo suddenly stop breathing for a moment because you are surprised, shocked, or afraid.
When she saw the accident, she caught her breath in shock.
He caught his breath as the roller coaster plunged downward.
draw breath
idiomTo pause and rest, especially after a period of continuous activity or talking.
The speaker talked for an hour without stopping to draw breath.
After running up the stairs, Brian stopped to draw breath.
To start breathing normally again after physical effort such as running or exercise.
After the race, Maya sat down to get her breath back.
He paused at the top of the hill to get his breath again.
hold your breath
idiomTo deliberately stop breathing for a short time.
The children held their breath while the magician performed his trick.
Can you hold your breath for thirty seconds underwater?
in the same breath
idiomSaid immediately after saying something that seems to have the opposite meaning.
He praised her work and in the same breath criticized her attitude.
She said she loved him, but in the same breath she asked for a divorce.
The final moment of a person's life.
The old man whispered his wife's name with his last breath.
She fought bravely until her dying breath.
out of breath
idiomHaving difficulty breathing because you have been exercising or moving quickly.
After climbing five flights of stairs, Aiden was out of breath.
The dog was out of breath after chasing the ball for so long.
save your breath
idiomUsed to tell someone not to bother saying something because it will not change anything.
Save your breath; he never listens to advice.
Trying to convince her is useless, so save your breath.
To say something very quietly so that other people cannot hear it.
When the boss made the announcement, Tom muttered a complaint under his breath.
She spoke an insult under her breath, hoping no one would hear.
To be so beautiful or surprising that it makes someone feel amazed.
The view from the mountaintop took our breath away.
Her performance in the play took everyone's breath away.
waste your breath
idiomTo say something that no one pays attention to or that has no effect.
Don't waste your breath arguing with him; he won't change his mind.
She felt she was wasting her breath trying to explain the rules.
with bated breath
idiomFeeling very anxious or excited while waiting for something to happen.
The audience waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced.
She opened the letter with bated breath, hoping for good news.