breathe

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /briːð/ UK /bɹiːð/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like breeze /ð/ vs /z/ Sounds like breed /ð/ vs /d/

Freq #1496

Meanings

1

verb
To take air into your lungs and let it out again.

I can breathe more easily now that the air is clean.
2

verb
To take a short rest in order to relax.

Let's breathe for a minute before we start the next part.
3

verb
To say something very quietly, especially a secret.

Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with breathe

breathe in Phrasal verb B1

to draw air into the lungs

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to take air into your lungs... respiretake a breath

2 verb · to take a short rest in... rest

More inbreathe spire suspire

Opposites

asphyxiate choke suffocate

Word family

Forms breathedbreathes

Derived forms airbreathingbreathable breatherbreathinglybum-breathingembreathefire-breathingimbreatheinbreathemisbreathemouth-breathenonbreathing

Related forms breathbreathabilitybreathable eat exhalation inhalation respiration

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

breathe in
to draw air into the lungs

Verb + adverb

Idioms (1)

See all

breathe down someone's neck
to monitor someone so closely that they feel pressured or uncomfortable

Etymology

From Middle English brethen (“to breathe, blow, exhale, odour”), derived from Middle English breth (“breath”). Eclipsed Middle English ethien and orðiæn, from Old English ēþian and orþian (“to breathe”); as well as Middle English anden, onden, from Old Norse anda (“to breathe”). More at breath.

*bʰreh₁- Proto-Indo-European brethen Middle English breth Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# breathe

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /briːð/
**IPA (UK):** /bɹiːð/
**Frequency rank:** 1496

## Meanings
1. To take air into your lungs and let it out again.
2. To take a short rest in order to relax.
3. To say something very quietly, especially a secret.

## Examples
- I can breathe more easily now that the air is clean.
- Let's breathe for a minute before we start the next part.
- Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.

## Synonyms
- inbreathe
- spire
- suspire

## Antonyms
- asphyxiate
- choke
- suffocate

## Derived Forms
- airbreathing
- breathable
- breather
- breathingly
- bum-breathing
- embreathe
- fire-breathing
- imbreathe
- inbreathe
- misbreathe
- mouth-breathe
- nonbreathing

## Related Forms
- breath
- breathability
- breathable
- eat
- exhalation
- inhalation
- respiration

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰreh₁-
- Root: brethen
- Root: breth

## Etymology
From Middle English brethen (“to breathe, blow, exhale, odour”), derived from Middle English breth (“breath”). Eclipsed Middle English ethien and orðiæn, from Old English ēþian and orþian (“to breathe”); as well as Middle English anden, onden, from Old Norse anda (“to breathe”). More at breath.

## AI Etymology
Breathe comes from Middle English brethen (“to breathe, blow, exhale, odour”), derived from Middle English breth (“breath”). Eclipsed Middle English ethien and orðiæn, from Old English ēþian and orþian (“to breathe”); as well as Middle English anden, onden, from Old Norse anda (“to breathe”). More at breath.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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