breathe
breathe Lexical Profile
breathe Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process essential for life.
"The doctor instructed the patient to breathe deeply while listening to her lungs with a stethoscope."
To utter or say something quietly, softly, or in a whisper.
"She promised not to breathe a word of the confidential agreement to anyone outside the committee."
To allow air or moisture to pass through, or to be exposed to fresh air so as to develop flavor and aroma (especially of fabric, skin, or wine).
"Cotton garments allow the skin to breathe comfortably during hot and humid summer months."
To instill, impart, or radiate a particular quality, vitality, or feeling into something.
"The newly appointed artistic director helped breathe fresh energy into the historic theater company."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse the verb 'breathe' (pronounced with a voiced /ð/ sound and spelled with a final 'e') with the noun 'breath' (pronounced with an unvoiced /θ/ sound and spelled without an 'e').
• Rhymes for breathe
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English as a verbal derivative of the noun 'breath', which comes from Old English 'bræth', originally meaning 'odor, scent, or exhalation'.