breathe

Meanings

1. 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. 2
   verb

   To take a short rest in order to relax.

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

3. 3
   verb

   To say something very quietly, especially a secret.

   Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.

Common collocations

• breathe in Verb + adverb

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

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images