breathe

verb

1. 1

   To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.

2. 2

   To take in needed gases and expel waste gases in a similar way.

   Fish have gills so they can breathe underwater.

3. 3

   To inhale (a gas) to sustain life.

   While life as we know it depends on oxygen, scientists have speculated that alien life forms might breathe chlorine or methane.

4. 4

   figurativeTo live.

   I will not allow it, as long as I still breathe.

   I am in health, I breathe.

   Breathes there a man with soul so dead?

5. 5

   To draw something into the lungs.

   Try not to breathe too much smoke.

6. 6

   To expel air from the lungs, exhale.

   If you breathe on a mirror, it will fog up.

7. 7

   To exhale or expel (something) in the manner of breath.

   The flowers breathed a heady perfume.

   Mountain Drakes breathe fire, Ice Drakes breathe ice, Swamp Drakes breathe acid, and Forest Drakes breathe lightning.

8. 8

   To give an impression of, to exude.

   The decor positively breathes classical elegance.

9. 9

   To whisper quietly.

   He breathed the words into her ear, but she understood them all.

10. 10

    To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to emanate; to blow gently.

    The wind breathes through the trees.

    The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.

    There breathes a living fragrance from the shore.

11. 11

    To inspire (scripture).

    The affirmation before us, then, will be, "All scripture is divinely breathed."

    […] that God, who breathed the Scriptures, "cannot lie," […]

    Paul says that since God breathed the Scriptures, they are therefore useful; he did not put it the other way around (i.e., that they are useful, therefore inspired).

12. 12

    To exchange gases with the environment.

    Uncork the wine and leave it on the table for a few minutes to allow it to breathe.

13. 13

    Of a material etc., to allow gases to pass through.

    Garments made of certain new materials breathe well and keep the skin relatively dry during exercise.

14. 14

    archaicTo rest; to stop and catch one's breath.

    Thenne they lasshed to gyder many sad strokes / & tracyd and trauercyd now bakward / now sydelyng hurtlyng to gyders lyke two bores / & that same tyme they felle both grouelyng to the erthe / Thus they fought styll withoute ony reposynge two houres and neuer brethed

    Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again!

15. 15

    To stop, to give (a horse) an opportunity to catch its breath.

    At higher altitudes you need to breathe your horse more often.

16. 16

    To exercise; to tire by brisk exercise.

17. 17

    figurativeTo passionately devote much of one's life to (an activity, etc.).

    ―Do you like hiking? ―Are you kidding? I breathe hiking.

Forms

past tense

breathed

past participle

breathed

present participle

breathing

third person singular

breathes