BREATHING • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Breathing

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/brˈiðɪŋ/ Listen

verb

Breathe v. t.

To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire. "To view the light of heaven, and breathe the vital air."

To inject by breathing; to infuse; with into. "Able to breathe life into a stone." "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life."

To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow. "He softly breathed thy name." "Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse, A mother's curse, on her revolting son."

To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes.

To express; to manifest; to give forth. "Others articles breathe the same severe spirit."

To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. "They breathe the flute."

To promote free respiration in; to exercise. "And every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee."

To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse. "A moment breathed his panting steed."

To put out of breath; to exhaust. "Mr. Tulkinghorn arrives in his turret room, a little breathed by the journey up."

10.

(Phonetics) To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants. "The same sound may be pronounces either breathed, voiced, or whispered." "Breathed elements, being already voiceless, remain unchanged Note: (in whispering)."

To breathe again, to take breath; to feel a sense of relief, as from danger, responsibility, or press of business.

To breathe one's last, to die; to expire.

To breathe a vein, to open a vein; to let blood.

Breathe v. i. (past & past part. breathed; pres. part. breathing)

To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. "I am in health, I breathe." "Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land!"

To take breath; to rest from action. "Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again!"

To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently. "The air breathes upon us here most sweetly." "There breathes a living fragrance from the shore."

noun

Breathing n.

Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air. "Subject to a difficulty of breathing."

Air in gentle motion.

Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit.

Aspiration; secret prayer. "Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state."

Exercising; promotion of respiration. "Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip."

Utterance; communication or publicity by words. "I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose."

Breathing place; vent.

Stop; pause; delay. "You shake the head at so long a breathing."

Also, in a wider sense, the sound caused by the friction of the outgoing breath in the throat, mouth, etc., when the glottis is wide open; aspiration; the sound expressed by the letter h.

10.

(Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below.

Breathing place.

(a)

A pause. "That caesura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse."

(b)

A vent.

Breathing time, pause; relaxation.

Breathing while, time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time.

Rough breathing (spiritus asper). See 2d Asper, n.

Smooth breathing (spiritus lenis), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in ienai.