breath ◆◇◇ /bre θ/ (breaths )
1 N‑VAR [oft poss N ] Your breath is the air that you let out through your mouth when you breathe. If someone has bad breath , their breath smells unpleasant. □ I could smell the whisky on his breath. □ Smoking causes bad breath.
2 N‑VAR When you take a breath , you breathe in once. □ He took a deep breath, and began to climb the stairs. □ Gasping for breath, she leaned against the door. □ He spoke for one and a half hours and barely paused for breath.
3 PHRASE If you go outside for a breath of fresh air or for a breath of air , you go outside because it is unpleasantly warm indoors.
4 PHRASE If you describe something new or different as a breath of fresh air , you mean that it makes a situation or subject more interesting or exciting. [APPROVAL ] □ Her brisk treatment of an almost taboo subject was a breath of fresh air.
5 PHRASE When you get your breath back after doing something energetic, you start breathing normally again. [BRIT ] □ I reached out a hand to steady myself against the house while I got my breath back.
6 PHRASE When you catch your breath while you are doing something energetic, you stop for a short time so that you can start breathing normally again. □ He had stopped to catch his breath and make sure of his directions.
7 PHRASE If something makes you catch your breath , it makes you take a short breath of air, usually because it shocks you. □ Kenny caught his breath as Nikko nearly dropped the bottle.
8 PHRASE If you hold your breath , you make yourself stop breathing for a few moments, for example because you are under water. □ I held my breath and sank under the water.
9 PHRASE If you say that someone is holding their breath , you mean that they are waiting anxiously or excitedly for something to happen. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ for ] The whole world holds its breath for this speech.
10 PHRASE If you are out of breath , you are breathing very quickly and with difficulty because you have been doing something energetic. □ There she was, slightly out of breath from running.
11 PHRASE You can use in the same breath or in the next breath to indicate that someone says two very different or contradictory things, especially when you are criticizing them. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He hailed this week's arms agreement but in the same breath expressed suspicion about the motivations of the United States.
12 PHRASE If you are short of breath , you find it difficult to breathe properly, for example because you are ill. You can also say that someone suffers from shortness of breath . □ She felt short of breath and flushed. □ Any exercise that causes undue shortness of breath should be stopped.
13 PHRASE If you say that something takes your breath away , you are emphasizing that it is extremely beautiful or surprising. [EMPHASIS ] □ I heard this song on the radio and it just took my breath away.
14 PHRASE If you say something under your breath , you say it in a very quiet voice, often because you do not want other people to hear what you are saying. □ Walsh muttered something under his breath.
15 with bated breath → see bated
breath|able /briː ðəb ə l/ ADJ A breathable fabric allows air to pass through it easily, so that clothing made from it does not become too warm or uncomfortable.
breatha|lyze /bre θəla I z/ (breathalyzes , breathalyzing , breathalyzed ) in BRIT, also use breathalyse VERB [usu passive] If the driver of a car is breathalyzed by the police, they ask him or her to breathe into a special bag or electronic device in order to test whether he or she has drunk too much alcohol. [mainly BRIT ] □ [be V -ed] She was breathalysed and found to be over the limit.
Breatha|lyz|er /bre θəla I zə r / (Breathalyzers ) in BRIT, also use Breathalyser N‑COUNT A Breathalyzer is a special bag or electronic device that the police use to test whether a driver has drunk too much alcohol. [TRADEMARK ]
breathe ◆◇◇ /briː ð/ (breathes , breathing , breathed )
1 VERB When people or animals breathe , they take air into their lungs and let it out again. When they breathe smoke or a particular kind of air, they take it into their lungs and let it out again as they breathe. □ [V ] He stood there breathing deeply and evenly. □ [V n] No American should have to drive out of town to breathe clean air. □ [V in n] A thirteen year old girl is being treated after breathing in smoke. [Also V out n] ● breath|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ Her breathing became slow and heavy. □ He heard only deep breathing.
2 VERB If someone breathes something, they say it very quietly. [LITERARY ] □ [V with quote] 'You don't understand,' he breathed. [Also V n]
3 VERB [no cont] If you do not breathe a word about something, you say nothing about it, because it is a secret. □ [V n] He never breathed a word about our conversation.
4 VERB If someone breathes life, confidence, or excitement into something, they improve it by adding this quality. [WRITTEN ] □ [V n + into ] It is the readers who breathe life into a newspaper with their letters.
5 to be breathing down someone's neck → see neck
6 to breathe a sigh of relief → see sigh
▸ breathe in PHRASAL VERB When you breathe in , you take some air into your lungs. □ [V P ] She breathed in deeply.
▸ breathe out PHRASAL VERB When you breathe out , you send air out of your lungs through your nose or mouth. □ [V P ] Breathe out and ease your knees in toward your chest. SYNONYMS breathe VERB 1