Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Breathing?

\Breath"ing\, n. 1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air. Subject to a difficulty of breathing. --Melmoth. 2. Air in gentle motion. 3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit. 4. Aspiration; secret prayer. ``Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state.'' --Tillotson. 5. Exercising; promotion of respiration. Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip. --Shak. 6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. --Shak. 7. Breathing place; vent. --Dryden. 8. Stop; pause; delay. You shake the head at so long a breathing. --Shak. 9. Also, in a wider sense, the sound caused by the friction of the outgoing breath in the throat, mouth, etc., when the glottis is wide open; aspiration; the sound expressed by the letter h. 10. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See {Rough breathing}, {Smooth breathing}, below. {Breathing place}. (a) A pause. ``That c[ae]sura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse.'' --Sir P. Sidney. (b) A vent. {Breathing time}, pause; relaxation. --Bp. Hall. {Breathing while}, time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time. --Shak. {Rough breathing} ({spiritus asper}) ([spasp]). See 2d {Asper}, n. {Smooth breathing} ({spiritus lenis}), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie`nai (ienai).