verb
breathe
BREETH/briːð/
To take air in and let it out.
The woman breathes steadily, expanding and relaxing her chest.
Etymology
The ancestor bræð meant odor, exhalation, or vapor and became the noun breath. Breathe was formed from that noun to name the action of drawing lung air in and letting it out.
In context
the residence was of such a poor environmental condition that it was unsafe for us to breathe the air
More examples
- This cotton shirt lets your skin breathe in hot weather.
- Give me a moment to breathe before the next task.
- The new director breathes life into the struggling theater.
- She breathes a quiet thank-you as the door closes.
Forms
breathe · breathes · breathed · breathing
breath noun — Air taken into or released from the lungs.