breath | WordDisk

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• the air taken into or expelled from the lungs.

• "I was gasping for breath"

Similar: wind, puff,

Origin: Old English brǣth ‘smell, scent’, of Germanic origin; related to brood.

• before one can do anything.
"we were frogmarched off to meet him before we had time to draw breath"

• a thing that someone needs or depends on.
"politics has been the breath of life to her for 50 years"

• cease breathing momentarily in surprise or fear.
"she caught her breath, surprised by the suddenness of the question"

• used to indicate that something is unlikely to happen.
"next thing you know I'll be knitting baby clothes—but don't hold your breath!"

• breathe in.
"he stopped to draw breath"

• begin to breathe normally again after exercise or exertion.
"he noticed how pale I was, and stopped for a moment to let me get my breath back"

• cease breathing temporarily.
"he held his breath under the water"

• in the same statement.
"she admitted it but said in the same breath that it was of no consequence"

• the last moment of one's life.
"she would fight to the last breath to preserve her good name"

• gasping for air, typically after exercise.
"he arrived on the top floor out of breath"

• pause to recover free and easy breathing.
"she had great need of a moment of silence to take breath"

• astonish or inspire someone with awed respect or delight.
"she took his breath away, as she did most men's"

• in a very quiet voice; almost inaudibly.
"he swore violently under his breath"

• talk or give advice without effect.
"I've far better things to do than waste my breath arguing"