📒 the air that you take into your lungs and send out again
- His breath smelt of garlic.
- bad breath (= that smells bad)
- She was very short of breath (= had difficulty breathing).
📒 an amount of air that enters the lungs at one time
- Take a deep breath and try to relax.
- He recited the whole poem in one breath.
- He sucked in a deep breath.
📒 a small amount of something; slight evidence of something
- a breath of suspicion/scandal
📒 a slight movement of air
- It was a still day, without a breath of wind.
📒 clean air breathed in after being indoors or in a dirty atmosphere
- We'll get a breath of fresh air at lunchtime.
- I'm going outside for a breath of fresh air.
📒 a person, thing or place that is new and different and therefore interesting and exciting
- The new secretary is a breath of fresh air.
📒 an essential part of a person’s existence
- Playing the violin has been the breath of life to her for over 20 years.
📒 to stop breathing for a moment because of fear, shock, etc.
- When he said he had resigned, I caught my breath in surprise.
📒 to start to be able to breathe normally again after running or doing exercise that makes you tired
📒 to stop doing something and rest
- She talks all the time and hardly stops to draw breath.
- He spoke solidly for twenty minutes, barely pausing to draw breath.
📒 to live; to be alive
- He was as kind a man as ever drew breath.
📒 to breathe normally again after running or doing exercise that makes you tired
- I needed a few minutes to get my breath back after the run.
- She paused to catch her breath.
📒 to stop breathing for a short time
- Hold your breath and count to ten.
- How long can you hold your breath for?
📒 to be nervous while you are waiting for something that you are anxious about
- He held his breath while the results were read out.
📒 people say don’t hold your breath! to emphasize that something will take a long time or may not happen
- She said she'd do it this week, but don't hold your breath!
📒 immediately after saying something that suggests the opposite intention or meaning
- He praised my work and in the same breath told me I would have to leave.
📒 the last moment of a person’s life
📒 having difficulty breathing after exercise
- We were out of breath after only five minutes.
- I'm a bit out of breath after my run.
📒 used to tell somebody that it is not worth wasting time and effort saying something because it will not change anything
- Save your breath—you'll never persuade her.
- It's useless talking to him—you may as well save your breath.
📒 to say something quietly so that people cannot hear
- ‘Rubbish!’ she muttered under her breath.
- He was whispering rude remarks about her under his breath.
📒 to be very surprising or beautiful
- My first view of the island from the air took my breath away.
- The sheer audacity of the man took my breath away.
📒 to say something that nobody takes any notice of
- You're just wasting your breath. She never listens.
📒 feeling very anxious or excited
- We waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced.
- We waited for the decision with bated breath.