Definition

1. Verb (Intransitive):

   • To inhale and exhale air using the lungs: The fundamental biological process of taking air into the lungs and expelling it.
   • To be alive; to live: Used to indicate the state of being a living creature that respires.
   • To pause to rest or recover: To take a short break for relaxation.
   • (Of air or wind) To move lightly: To blow softly.
   • (Of wine) To be exposed to air: To reach full flavor by absorbing air after being uncorked.
   • (Of fabric) To allow air to pass through: To permit ventilation.

2. Verb (Transitive):

   • To inhale or exhale (a substance): To take in or expel air, gas, or odor.
   • To utter softly; to whisper: To say something very quietly.
   • To express; to manifest: To show or exude a particular quality, feeling, or spirit.
   • To instill; to impart: To infuse something with new energy or life.

Usage Examples

• Intransitive Verb:

  • Humans must breathe to stay alive. (The basic biological function.)
  • After running, I needed a moment to breathe. (To pause and recover.)
  • Let the wine breathe before serving. (To aerate wine.)
  • This cotton shirt breathes well in hot weather. (Fabric allowing air passage.)

• Transitive Verb:

  • She breathed the fresh mountain air deeply. (To inhale air.)
  • He breathed a secret to his friend. (To whisper something.)
  • Her paintings breathe tranquility. (To manifest a quality.)
  • The new manager breathed new life into the project. (To impart new energy.)

Advanced Usage

• "breathe a sigh of relief": To express relief, often audibly.
  • When the exam was over, the students breathed a sigh of relief.
• "breathe one's last": A euphemism meaning to die.
  • The old man breathed his last surrounded by family.
• "breathe down someone's neck": To watch or follow someone very closely, often in a threatening or pressuring way.
  • The boss is breathing down my neck to finish the report.

Variants and Related Words

• Breath (n): The air taken into or expelled from the lungs.
  • Take a deep breath.
• Breather (n): A short pause or break for rest.
  • Let's take a breather before we continue.
• Breathable (adj): (Of air) fit to breathe; (of fabric) allowing air to pass through.
  • The atmosphere is breathable. / A breathable rain jacket.

Synonyms

• Respire: (Formal) To breathe.
• Inhale/Exhale: To breathe in/out.
• Whisper: To utter very softly.
• Infuse: To instill; to fill with a quality.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Breathe in: To inhale.
  • Breathe in slowly through your nose.
• Breathe out: To exhale.
  • Breathe out completely.
• Breathe into: To give life, energy, or existence to something.
  • The artist breathed life into the clay sculpture.

Related Idioms

• "Don't breathe a word": To keep something completely secret; to not tell anyone.
  • This is a surprise, so don't breathe a word to anyone.
• "Breathe easy/freely": To relax because a worry or danger has passed.
  • Now that the contract is signed, we can breathe easy.
• "Breathe fire": To be very angry; to speak angrily.
  • The coach was breathing fire after the team's poor performance.

Verb

1. expel (gases or odors)
2. reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked
   • This rare Bordeaux must be allowed to breathe for at least 2 hours
3. take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
4. manifest or evince
   • She breathes the Christian spirit
5. utter or tell
   • not breathe a word
6. allow the passage of air through
   • Our new synthetic fabric breathes and is perfect for summer wear
7. impart as if by breathing
   • He breathed new life into the old house
8. be alive
   • Every creature that breathes
9. draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
   • I can breathe better when the air is clean
   • The patient is respiring