breathe

Universal Words verb air / breath 1 to take air into your lungs and send it out again through your nose or mouth: [V] He breathed deeply before speaking again. * The air was so cold we could hardly breathe. * She was beginning to breathe more easily. * He was breathing heavily after his exertions. * [VN] Most people don't realize that they are breathing polluted air. 2 [VN] to send air, smoke or a particular smell out of your mouth: He came up close, breathing alcohol fumes all over me. say quietly 3 (literary) to say sth quietly: [Vspeech] 'I'm over here,' she breathed. [also VN] of wine 4 [V] if you allow wine to breathe, you open the bottle and let air get in before you drink it of fabric / skin 5 [V] if fabric, leather, skin, etc. can breathe, air can move around or through it: Cotton clothing allows your skin to breathe. feeling / quality 6 [VN] (formal) to be full of a particular feeling or quality: Her performance breathed wit and charm. IDIOMS breathe (easily / freely) again to feel calm again after sth unpleasant or frightening has ended: Once he was safely back in prison, she was able to breathe easily again. breathe down sb's neck (informal) to watch closely what sb is doing in a way that makes them feel anxious and/or annoyed: I can't get any work done with you breathing down my neck. breathe (new) life into sth to improve sth by introducing new ideas and making people more interested in it: The results of their research have breathed new life into the debate. breathe your last (literary) to die moreatLIVE PHRASALVERBS breathe in to take air into your lungs through your nose or mouth: I want you to breathe in and hold your breath for as long as possible. breathe sth<->in to take air, smoke, etc. into your lungs through your nose or mouth: His illness is a result of breathing in paint fumes over many years. breathe out to send air out of your lungs through your nose or mouth: Take a deep breath and then breathe out when I tell you. breathe sth<->out to send air, smoke, etc. out of your lungs through your nose or mouth: Humans take in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.