HOW TO PRONOUNCE
breathe
/bɹið/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does breathe mean?
verb
- To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
- To take in needed gases and expel waste gases in a similar way.
- To inhale (a gas) to sustain life.
More meanings (14)
verb
- (figuratively) To live.
- To draw something into the lungs.
- To expel air from the lungs, exhale.
- To exhale or expel (something) in the manner of breath.
- To give an impression of, to exude.
- To whisper quietly.
- To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to emanate; to blow gently.
- To inspire (scripture).
- To exchange gases with the environment.
- Of a material etc., to allow gases to pass through.
- To stop, to give (a horse) an opportunity to catch its breath.
- To exercise; to tire by brisk exercise.
- (figuratively) To passionately devote much of one's life to (an activity, etc.).
- (archaic) To rest; to stop and catch one's breath.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/bɹið/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
She then sat down on the stairs a few moments to breathe and to cry, and then got up and hurried away.
There, trembling lest the aunt should turn round, concealed behind a pillar, motionless, not daring to breathe, he gazed at his child.
More book examples (3)
He was good-looking in the sense that he had always had a sufficiency of beef to eat and fresh air to breathe.
This enabled my master to breathe a little easier, and to feel that Mr. Cray was not his pur- suer after all.
You mark, perchance, within your island bowers, The slow departure of the languorous hours, And breathe the sweetness of the strange wild-flowers.