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breathe
breathe freely
To relax. To be free from worry. I can finally breathe freely now that I'm done my term paper—I had been working on that thing all day every day for weeks!
breathe easily
To relax. To be free from worry. I can finally breathe easily now that I'm done my term paper—I had been working on that thing all day every day for weeks!
as I live and breathe
Wow! An expression of surprise or amazement. As I live and breathe! I haven't seen you in years!
able to breathe again
1. Literally, capable of inhaling and exhaling without difficulty. Once the climbers returned from the top of the mountain, they felt like they were finally able to breathe again.
2. Figuratively, recuperating from a busy or stressful period of time. After a long, hectic summer, many parents feel like they are able to breathe again once their kids are back in school.
able to breathe (easily) again
and able to breathe (freely) again 1. Lit. able to breathe clean, fresh air with no restriction or obstruction. After I got out of the dank basement, I was able to breathe easily again.
2. Fig. able to relax and recover from a busy or stressful time; able to catch one's breath. (Able to can be replaced with can.) Final exams are over, so I can breathe easily again.
As I live and breathe!
Fig. How amazing! (Said on seeing or experiencing something surprising.) As I live and breathe, here we are again! Well, as I live and breathe, it's Harry Smith!
breathe a sigh of relief
1. Lit. to sigh in a way that signals one's relief that something has come to an end. At the end of the contest, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Fig. to express relief that something has ended. With the contract finally signed, we breathed a sigh of relief as we drank a toast in celebration.
breathe down someone's neck
1. Fig. to keep close watch on someone; to watch someone's activities intently. (Alludes to someone standing very close behind a person.) I can't work with you breathing down my neck all the time. Go away. I will get through my life without your help. Stop breathing down my neck.
2. Fig. [for someone or something] to represent an approaching deadline. The project deadline is breathing down my neck. The due date for this paper is breathing down my neck.
breathe easy
to assume a relaxed state after a stressful period. After this crisis is over, I'll be able to breathe easy again. He won't be able to breathe easy until he pays off his debts.
breathe in
to inhale; to take air into the lungs. Now, relax and breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in deeply; enjoy the summer air.
breathe into something
to exhale into something; to expel one's breath into something. I was told to breathe into a tube that was connected to a machine of some type.
breathe one's last
Euph. to die. She breathed her last at about two o'clock that afternoon. Cradled in his wife's arms, he breathed his last.
breathe out
to exhale. Now, breathe out, then breathe in. The doctor told me to breathe out slowly.
breathe something in
to take something into the lungs, such as air, medicinal vapors, gas, etc. Breathe the vapor in slowly. It will help your cold. Breathe in that fresh air!
breathe something into something
to revive something; to introduce something new or positive into a situation. Her positive attitude breathed new life into the company. The project breathed a new spirit into the firm.
breathe something (of something) (to someone)
to tell something to someone. (Usually in the negative.) Don't breathe a word of this to anyone! I won't breathe a word!
breathe something out
to exhale something. At last, he breathed his last breath out, and that was the end. Breathe out your breath slowly.
breathe (up)on someone or something
to exhale on someone or something. (Upon is more formal and less commonly used than on.) Please don't breathe upon the food. Don't breathe on me!
hardly have time to breathe
and scarcely have time to breatheFig. to be very busy. This was such a busy day. I hardly had time to breathe. They made him work so hard that he scarcely had time to breathe.
I don't have time to catch my breath,
and I don't have time to breathe.Fig. I am very busy.; I have been very busy. Henry: I'm so busy these days. I don't have time to catch my breath. Rachel: Oh, I know what you mean. Sue: Would you mind finishing this for me? Bill: Sorry, Sue. I'm busy. I don't have time to breathe.
(I) won't breathe a word (of it).
and (I) won't tell a Soul.Fig. I will not tell anyone your secret. Bill: Don't tell anybody, but Sally is getting married. Mary: I won't breathe a word of it. Alice: The Jacksons are going to have to sell their house. Don't spread it around. Mary: I won't tell a soul.
not breathe a word (about someone or something)
and not breathe a word of it Fig. to keep a secret about someone or something. Don't worry. I won't breathe a word about this matter. Please don't breathe a word about Bob and his problems. Don't worry. I won't breathe a word of it.
breathe easy
to relax Baseball fans can breathe easy now that the players' strike is over.
breathe your last
(slightly formal) to die
Jay made the trip north to be with his mother when she breathed her last. Usage notes: also used to describe the end of a organization, belief, or relationship: Amtrak may shortly breathe its last - without more funding, it may have to shut down next month.
breathe (new) life into something
to bring ideas and energy to something Changes in the performance have breathed new life into a show that seemed ready to close. He has promised to breathe new life into the organization.
live and breathe something
to be extremely interested in something I found it hard to discuss the poems, since I did not live and breathe poetry like many of my classmates did.
breathe down your neck
to watch too closely what you do The supervisor breathes down my neck all the time, trying to make sure I'm working hard enough.
breathe a sigh of relief
to feel comfortable again after worrying about something Coastal residents breathed a sigh of relief when the hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm. Her children breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she made arrangements to get help.
breathe a word
to tell a secret
If you breathe a word of this to anyone, the whole deal will fall apart. Usage notes: often used in the form not breathe a word: We were warned not to breathe a word about the party.
breathe down somebody's neck
to pay very close attention to what someone does in a way that annoys or worries them It's awful having to work with a boss who's breathing down your neck the whole time.
breathe fire
to be very angry about something (sometimes + over ) The bishop was breathing fire over the press release made a few days ago.
breathe (new) life into something
to make something that was boring seem interesting again Breathe new life into a tired old bathroom with a coat of brightly coloured paint in this season's exciting colours.
not breathe a word
to not tell people a secret Please tell me what happened. I promise I won't breathe a word.
live and breathe something
if you live and breathe an activity or subject, you spend most of your time doing it or thinking about it because you like it so much For twenty years I've lived and breathed dance. It's been my whole life.
as I live and breathe
For sure, definitely, as in As I live and breathe, I've never seen a more beautiful view. This expression is generally used to emphasize the truth of a statement and has been so used since the mid-1600s, although sometimes it was put simply as as I live. However, the complete phrase was also used early on, as in Arthur Murphy's 1756 play The Apprentice (2:1): "As I live and breathe, we shall both be taken, for heaven's sake let us make our escape."
breathe down someone's neck
1. Pursue someone closely; pose a threat to one, as in The immigration authorities were breathing down his neck. [Mid-1900s]
2. Watch or supervise someone very closely, as in The boss is always breathing down our necks. [Mid-1900s]
breathe easy
Also, breathe easily or freely . Relax, feel relieved from anxiety, stress, or tension. For example, Now that exams are over with, I can breathe easy, or Whenever I'm back in the mountains, I can breathe freely again. This idiom originally (late 1500s) was put as breathe again, implying that one had stopped breathing (or held one's breath) while feeling anxious or nervous. Shakespeare had it in King John (4:2): "Now I breathe again aloft the flood." The variant dates from the first half of the 1800s.
breathe life into
Also,
breathe new life into. Revive someone or something. For example,
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) shows one how to breathe life into a drowning victim , or
Her appointment breathed new life into the firm. This term is used both literally, for reviving a person who has stopped breathing temporarily, and figuratively, for giving new impetus to or renewing some project. Also see
breath of fresh air.
breathe one's last
Die, as in Aunt Agatha breathed her last on Tuesday. This term was used by Shakespeare in 3 Henry VI (5:2): "Montague has breathed his last." It has survived but today is considered a poetic euphemism.
not breathe a word
Not reveal a secret, keep concealed, as in You must promise not to breathe a word of what I'm about to tell you. This phrase relies on the verb breathe as meaning "to utter," a usage dating from the late 1500s.
breathe in
v.1. To inhale: Don't forget to breathe in and hold your breath before you jump into the water!
2. To take something into the lungs by inhaling: My lungs are unhealthy because I've been breathing in smoke from the factory for so many years. There is poisonous gas here; don't breathe it in.
breathe out
v.1. To exhale: Breathe out slowly, and you will relax more easily.
2. To expel something from the lungs by exhaling: I closed my eyes and breathed out a sigh. The yoga instructor told everyone to take a big breath, hold it for ten seconds, and then breathe it out.
breathe down (someone's) neck
1. To threaten by proximity, especially by pursuing closely.
2. To watch or monitor closely, often annoyingly: The boss was breathing down my neck all morning.
breathe
easily/easy/freely To be relaxed or relieved, especially after a period of tension.
breathe (one's) last
To die.