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1. Draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs
   "I can breathe better when the air is clean";
   - take a breath, respire, suspire [literary]
    
2. Be alive
   "Every creature that breathes"
    
3. Impart as if by breathing
   "He breathed new life into the old house"
    
4. Allow the passage of air through
   "Our new synthetic fabric breathes and is perfect for summer wear"
    
5. Utter or tell
   "not breathe a word"
    
6. Manifest or evince
   "She breathes the Christian spirit"
    
7. Take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
   - rest, catch one's breath, take a breather
    
8. Reach full flavour by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked
   "This rare Bordeaux must be allowed to breathe for at least 2 hours"
    
9. Expel (gases or odours)
   - emit, pass off

Derived forms: breathed, breathes, breathing

See also: breathe in, expire

Type of: be, break, convey, discharge, eject, exhaust, exist, expel, express, give tongue to, instill, intermit, live, oxidate, oxidise [Brit], oxidize, pause, release, subsist, survive, transfuse, utter, verbalise [Brit], verbalize

Encyclopedia: Breathe, Stretch, Shake