1. The bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
   "Deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress";
   - external respiration, respiration, ventilation

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. Expel (gases or odours)
   "The flowers breathed a sweet fragrance";
   - emit
    
4. Allow the passage of air through
   "Our new synthetic fabric breathes and is perfect for summer wear"
    
5. Take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
   "Let's breathe before we start the next task";
   - rest, catch one's breath, take a breather [informal]
    
6. Utter or tell
   "not breathe a word"
    
7. Manifest or evince
   "She breathes the Christian spirit"
    
8. Impart as if by breathing
   "He breathed new life into the old house"
    
9. 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"

Derived forms: breathings

See also: exhale, inhale

Type of: act, activity, be, bodily function, bodily process, body process, break, convey, discharge, eject, exhaust, exist, expel, express, give tongue to, instil [Brit, Cdn], instill, intermit, live, move, oxidate, oxidise [Brit], oxidize, pause, release, subsist, survive, transfuse, utter, verbalise [Brit], verbalize

Encyclopedia: Breathing