Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Spoken without vocal cord vibration; whispered: Describes speech sounds or words produced by exhaling air without engaging the vocal cords, resulting in a whispery, voiceless quality.
   • Uttered without voice: Refers to speech that is articulated but lacks the sonority of a full voice.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The spy communicated in a breathed whisper to avoid detection.
  • Her breathed confession was barely audible over the sound of the wind.
  • Could hardly hear her breathed plea, 'Help me'.

Advanced Usage

• Phonetics Context: In linguistics, "breathed" can describe a specific type of phonation for consonants, such as voiceless plosives (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/), where the sound is produced with a puff of air (aspiration) but without vocal fold vibration. However, the primary adjectival use refers to whispered speech.
  • In careful transcription, the initial /p/ in 'pin' is a breathed consonant.

Variants and Related Words

• Breathe (verb): To inhale and exhale air.
  • It's difficult to breathe in this stuffy room.
• Breath (noun): The air taken into or expelled from the lungs.
  • He took a deep breath before speaking.
• Breathy (adjective): Characterized by an audible sound of breathing, often used to describe a voice quality.
  • She sang with a soft, breathy tone.

Synonyms

• Voiceless: Lacking vocal sound.
• Whispered: Spoken very softly using one's breath without the vocal cords.
• Unvoiced: Not uttered with voice (a technical synonym, especially in phonetics).

Antonyms

• Voiced: Produced with vibration of the vocal cords.
• Sonorous: Producing a full, deep, or rich sound.

Related Phrases/Idioms

(Note: "Breathed" itself is not commonly used in phrasal verbs or idioms. The related verb "breathe" is used instead.) - Don't breathe a word: To keep something a complete secret; to not tell anyone. - This is a surprise, so don't breathe a word to anyone. - Breathe a sigh of relief: To feel relieved after a period of worry or anxiety. - We all breathed a sigh of relief when the test was over.

Adjective

1. uttered without voice
   • could hardly hear her breathed plea, `Help me'
   • voiceless whispers