- to take air, oxygen, etc., into the lungs and expel it; inhale and exhale; respire.
- (in speech) to control the outgoing breath in producing voice and speech sounds.
- to pause, as for breath or rest: How about giving me a chance to breathe?
- to move gently or blow lightly, as air.
- to live; exist: Hardly a person breathes who has not known great sorrow.
- to be redolent or suggestive: a poem breathing of the sights and sounds of a rustic life.
- (of a material) to allow air and moisture to pass through easily: The jacket is comfortable because the fabric breathes.
- (of the skin) to absorb oxygen and give off perspiration.
- (of a wine) to be exposed to air after being uncorked, in order to develop flavor and bouquet.
- to inhale and exhale in respiration.
- to exhale: Dragons breathe fire.
- to inject as if by breathing; infuse: She breathed life into the party.
- to give utterance to; whisper: She breathed a prayer of thanks when everyone escaped the fire unharmed.
- to express; manifest: This coming-of-age novel breathes the torments and joys of adolescence.
- to allow to rest or recover breath: After this next hill, we should breathe the horses.
- to deprive of breath; tire; exhaust.
- to cause to pant;exercise.
- breathe down someone's neck,
- to be close to someone in pursuit; menace; threaten: Police from four states were breathing down his neck.
- to watch someone closely so as to supervise or control: If everyone keeps breathing down my neck, how can I get my work done?
- to have relief from anxiety, tension, or pressure: Now that the crisis was over, he could breathe freely.
- to die: He breathed his last and was buried in the churchyard.
- to maintain secrecy; keep a matter confidential: I'll tell you if you promise not to breathe a word.
- to take in oxygen from (the surrounding medium, esp air) and give out carbon dioxide; respire
- to exist; be alive
- to rest to regain breath, composure, etc
- (esp of air) to blow lightly
- (intr) machinery
- to take in air, esp for combustion
- to equalize the pressure within a container, chamber, etc, with atmospheric pressure
- to articulate (a speech sound) without vibration of the vocal cords
- to exhale or emit
- to impart; instil
- to speak softly; whisper
- to permit to rest
- (of a material) to allow air to pass through so that perspiration can evaporate
- to feel relief
- to stay close to someone, esp to oversee what they are doing
- to die or be finished or defeated
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