inbreathe

A yoga instructor tells her class to inbreathe slowly and deeply.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To inhale: "inbreathe" means to draw air into the lungs; to breathe in.
   • To inspire or instill figuratively: In a metaphorical sense, "inbreathe" means to impart or infuse something (such as strength, energy, faith, or a quality) into a person, as if by breathing it into them.

Usage Examples

• Literal (inhale):

  • She paused to inbreathe the fresh mountain air. (She took a deep breath of the clean air.)
  • The doctor instructed the patient to inbreathe slowly through the nose. (The patient was told to inhale gently.)

• Figurative (instill):

  • The leader's speech seemed to inbreathe courage into the discouraged team. (The speech infused the team with courage.)
  • The teacher's passion for science inbreathed a love of discovery in her students. (The teacher instilled a love of discovery in the students.)

Advanced Usage

• "to inbreathe life into something": to give vitality or energy to a project, idea, or group.

  • The new director inbreathed life into the failing theatre company. (The director revived and energized the company.)

• "to inbreathe a spirit of cooperation": to foster a collaborative attitude.

  • The mediator tried to inbreathe a spirit of cooperation between the opposing sides. (The mediator attempted to instill a cooperative attitude.)

Variants and Related Words

• Inbreathing (n): the act of inhaling or the process of being inspired.

  • The practice of deep inbreathing calmed her nerves. (The act of breathing deeply had a calming effect.)

• Inbreathed (adj): having been infused or inspired with a quality.

  • He was inbreathed with a new sense of purpose. (He was filled with a renewed determination.)

Synonyms

• Inhale: to breathe in (literal).
• Inspire: to fill with a particular quality or feeling (figurative).
• Infuse: to instill or introduce a quality into someone or something.
• Impart: to give or bestow a quality or feeling.

Related Idioms

• Take a deep breath: to inhale deeply, often to calm oneself or prepare for action.

  • Before the race, she took a deep breath to inbreathe confidence. (She inhaled deeply to gather courage.)

• Breathe new life into: to revitalize or energize something.

  • The renovation breathed new life into the old building. (The renovation invigorated the building.)

Note: "inbreathe" is a rare, literary, or formal word; in everyday English, "inhale" is more common for the literal sense, and "instill" or "inspire" are used for the figurative sense.