Dictionary

breathe

Etymology

From Middle English brethen, derived from Middle English breth.

Pronunciation

(RP) enPR: brēth, IPA: /bɹiːð/
(America) IPA: /bɹið/

Verb

breathe (breathes, present participle breathing; simple past and past participle breathed)

(intransitive) To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
(intransitive) To take in needed gases and expel waste gases in a similar way.
Fish have gills so they can breathe underwater.
(transitive) To inhale (a gas) to sustain life.
While life as we know it depends on oxygen, scientists have speculated that alien life forms might breathe chlorine or methane.
(intransitive, figurative) To live.
I will not allow it, as long as I still breathe.
- 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene i]:
  I am in health, I breathe.
- 1805, Walter Scott, “(please specify the page)”, in The Lay of the Last Minstrel: A Poem, London: […] [James Ballantyne] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], and A[rchibald] Constable and Co., […], →OCLC ↗:
  Breathes there a man with soul so dead?
(transitive) To draw something into the lungs.
Try not to breathe too much smoke.
(intransitive) To expel air from the lungs, exhale.
If you breathe on a mirror, it will fog up.
(transitive) To exhale or expel (something) in the manner of breath.
The flowers breathed a heady perfume.
(transitive) To give an impression of, to exude.
The decor positively breathes classical elegance.
(transitive) To whisper quietly.
He breathed the words into her ear, but she understood them all.
To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to emanate; to blow gently.
The wind breathes through the trees.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene i]:
  The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
- 1812–1818, Lord Byron, “(please specify |canto=I to IV)”, in Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. A Romaunt, London: Printed for John Murray, […]; William Blackwood, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; by Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC ↗, (please specify the stanza number):
  There breathes a living fragrance from the shore.
(chiefly, Evangelical and Charismatic Christianity, with God as agent) To inspire (scripture).
- 1850, John Howard Hinton, On the Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures. A lecture, etc, page 16:
  The affirmation before us, then, will be, "All scripture is divinely breathed."
- 1917, J. C. Ferdinand Pittman, Bible Truths Illustrated: For the Use of Preachers, Teachers, Bible-school, Christian Endeavor, Temperance and Other Christian Workers, page 168:
  […] that God, who breathed the Scriptures, "cannot lie," […]
(intransitive) To exchange gases with the environment.
Garments made of certain new materials breathe well and keep the skin relatively dry during exercise.
(intransitive, now, rare) To rest; to stop and catch one's breath.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “[https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/MaloryWks2/1:12.64?rgn=div2;view=fulltext lxiiij]”, in Le Morte Darthur, book X:
  Thenne they lasshed to gyder many sad strokes / & tracyd and trauercyd now bakward / now sydelyng hurtlyng to gyders lyke two bores / & that same tyme they felle both grouelyng to the erthe / Thus they fought styll withoute ony reposynge two houres and neuer brethed
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene 4]:
  Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again!
(transitive) To stop, to give (a horse) an opportunity to catch its breath.
At higher altitudes you need to breathe your horse more often.
(transitive) To exercise; to tire by brisk exercise.
(transitive, figurative) To passionately devote much of one's life to (an activity, etc.).
―Do you like hiking? ―Are you kidding? I breathe hiking.

Conjugation

Conjugation of breathe

infinitive	(to) breathe
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	breathe	breathed
2nd-person singular	breathe, breathest^†	breathed, breathedst^†
3rd-person singular	breathes, breatheth^†	breathed
plural	breathe	breathed

subjunctive	breathe	breathed

imperative	breathe	—

participles	breathing	breathed