Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Breathe?

\Breathe\ (br[=e][th]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Breathed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Breathing}.] [From {Breath}.] 1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. ``I am in health, I breathe.'' --Shak. Breathes there a man with soul so dead? --Sir W. Scott. 2. To take breath; to rest from action. Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! --Shak. 3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently. The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. --Shak. There breathes a living fragrance from the shore. --Byron.
\Breathe\, v. t. 1. To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire. To view the light of heaven, and breathe the vital air. --Dryden. 2. To inject by breathing; to infuse; -- with into. Able to breathe life into a stone. --Shak. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. --Gen. ii. 7. 3. To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow. He softly breathed thy name. --Dryden. Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse, A mother's curse, on her revolting son. --Shak. 4. To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes. 5. To express; to manifest; to give forth. Others articles breathe the same severe spirit. --Milner. 6. To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. ``They breathe the flute.'' --Prior. 7. To promote free respiration in; to exercise. And every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee. --Shak. 8. To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse. A moment breathed his panting steed. --Sir W. Scott. 9. To put out of breath; to exhaust. Mr. Tulkinghorn arrives in his turret room, a little breathed by the journey up. --Dickens. 10. (Phonetics) To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants. The same sound may be pronounces either breathed, voiced, or whispered. --H. Sweet. Breathed elements, being already voiceless, remain unchanged Note: [in whispering]. --H. Sweet. {To breathe again}, to take breath; to feel a sense of relief, as from danger, responsibility, or press of business. {To breathe one's last}, to die; to expire. {To breathe a vein}, to open a vein; to let blood. --Dryden.