breathe
breathe — verb
1. to pull air into the body and push it back out through the lungs, or to take in
to pull air into the body and push it back out through the lungs, or to take in and release smoke, dust, or a smell in the same way.
After the long climb, Greta stopped by the gate and breathed deeply.
breathe + adverb for manner
The baby could not breathe through his nose because of the cold.
breathe through + body part
Workers wore masks so they would not breathe in the white dust.
breathe in + harmful substance
Please breathe slowly while the nurse checks your blood pressure.
Underwater, Ravi breathed air from the tank and checked his watch.
breathe + noun with air source
- breathe deeply
- breathe slowly
- breathe in smoke
- breathe through your nose
- suffocate
to be unable to get enough air
Grammar Patterns
breathe
breathe + noun (air, smoke, dust)
breathe through + body part
Usage Note
This is the everyday physical sense. It is the only core sense here that freely takes objects like 'air', 'smoke', or 'dust', and it also appears with body-part phrases such as 'through your nose'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about speaking quietly.
Common Mistakes
2. to say a word or short sentence in an extremely soft voice, so that only someone
to say a word or short sentence in an extremely soft voice, so that only someone very near can hear it.
Noa breathed a soft thank-you before the lights went out.
breathe + short spoken noun phrase
From the hospital bed, Bao breathed his son's name once.
In the last scene, Priya breathed the final words to her stage partner.
breathe + words to nearby listener
With her lips near my ear, Esme breathed, 'Don't open the red box.'
breathe + direct speech
At the back of the church, a child breathed 'sorry' to her mother.
- breathe a name
- breathe a warning
- breathe softly
- breathe 'sorry'
- shout
to speak very loudly
Grammar Patterns
breathe + short words
breathe + direct speech
breathe + noun
Usage Note
Usually used for very short speech such as a name, warning, or thanks. The listener is normally close by, and the sentence often includes a quote or another brief spoken object.
3. to open a bottle of wine and leave it standing for a time so air can improve how
to open a bottle of wine and leave it standing for a time so air can improve how it smells and tastes.
The waiter said the red wine should breathe for twenty minutes.
wine + should breathe
Before dinner, Hana uncorked the bottle and let it breathe on the table.
let + wine + breathe
This old Bordeaux needs to breathe before we pour the first glass.
The host let the wine breathe while the roast finished in the oven.
let + wine + breathe during meal prep
- let the wine breathe
- wine needs to breathe
- breathe the wine
- uncork and breathe
Grammar Patterns
wine + breathe
let + wine + breathe
breathe + wine
Usage Note
Used almost only with wine. The most common pattern is 'let the wine breathe' or 'the wine needs to breathe'; direct transitive use is possible but less common.
4. if cloth, leather, or another material breathes, it lets air or water vapor pass
if cloth, leather, or another material breathes, it lets air or water vapor pass through instead of trapping it inside.
These running shoes breathe well, so my feet stay dry.
material + breathe well
Cotton shirts breathe better than plastic raincoats in hot weather.
comparison with clothing materials
The tent fabric breathes, but rain still cannot get inside.
The leather seat did not breathe, so Zane felt sweaty after the drive.
negative form with material subject
- fabric breathes
- breathe well
- breathes better than
- leather does not breathe
- trap
to keep air or moisture from escaping
Grammar Patterns
material + breathe
breathe well
not breathe
Usage Note
Subject is usually a material, fabric, shoe, or seat surface rather than a person. In product language, this sense is close to the adjective 'breathable'.
Common Mistakes
5. to be living, or to show life by continuing to draw air in and out.
to be living, or to show life by continuing to draw air in and out.
As long as I breathe, no one will take this farm from us.
as long as + subject + breathe
The doctor leaned close to check whether the bird still breathed.
still breathed = remained alive
Everyone was relieved to see the child breathing when the lights came back.
After the crash, the paramedic saw that the driver was still breathing.
be still breathing = remain alive
- still breathe
- be breathing
- as long as I breathe
- check whether someone is breathing
- die
to stop living
Grammar Patterns
still breathe
be breathing
as long as + subject + breathe
Usage Note
Often appears in serious or literary contexts, or when someone checks whether a person or animal is still alive. Distinguish from sense 1: here the point is life itself, not the physical action of taking air.
6. to stop for a short time and rest so you can continue your work or journey with
to stop for a short time and rest so you can continue your work or journey with more strength.
Under a pine tree, the cyclists breathed before climbing the last hill.
breathe + place before continuing
On the warehouse steps, the night crew breathed before hauling the next crate.
breathe before + next task
By the gate, the porters breathed a moment before lifting the piano again.
After the rescue drill, the cadets breathed briefly, then marched across the yard.
- breathe for a moment
- breathe under a tree
- breathe before continuing
- breathe by the roadside
- rest
normal everyday choice
- pause
more neutral and not always about tiredness
- take a breather
informal modern expression for this idea
- press on
to continue without stopping
Grammar Patterns
breathe + place
breathe + for + time
Usage Note
This sense is rare in modern English. Today people more often say 'rest', 'pause', or 'take a breather'.
breathe in
phrasal verbTo take air into your lungs.
Breathe in slowly through your nose.
She breathed in the fresh morning air.
breathe out
phrasal verbTo send air out from your lungs.
Now breathe out gently through your mouth.
He breathed out a long sigh of relief.
To feel relaxed after a stressful or dangerous situation ends.
After the storm passed, the villagers could breathe easily again.
Did you breathe freely again once the exam was over?
To watch someone very closely, making them feel nervous or annoyed.
My boss kept breathing down my neck all afternoon.
Can you stop breathing down my neck? I need space.
To stop worrying and feel calm.
You can rest easy now that the test is done.
Maya slept easy after hearing the good news.
breathe your last
idiomTo die.
The old man breathed his last surrounded by family.
Did the hero breathe his last in that battle?
To make something more interesting or active again.
The new coach breathed new life into the team.
Her ideas breathed life into the old project.
To be extremely passionate about something.
He lives and breathes music every single day.
Does she live and breathe cooking like her mother?
Word family
- breathnounB1
- breathlessadjectiveB2
- breathableadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
For the basic physical action, 'breathe' is the normal everyday verb because it can describe the whole cycle of air going in and out. 'Inhale' only means drawing air in, while 'exhale' only means sending it out, so they are more exact but narrower. 'Respire' is technical and belongs more to biology or medical writing than casual speech. 'Pant' means breathe quickly and heavily, usually after running, climbing, or fear, so it adds a clear extra idea. You can say 'Take a deep breath and breathe slowly,' 'The swimmer inhaled before diving,' 'She exhaled through her mouth,' or 'The dog panted after the chase.'
Etymology
'Breathe' comes from Old English and is closely related to the noun 'breath'. Early uses were connected with the air or smell that comes out of the mouth, and the verb later settled into its main modern meaning of taking air into the lungs and sending it out again.