3 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

breathing

adjective: passing or able to pass air in and out of the lungs normally; sometimes used in combination; "the boy was disappointed to find only skeletons instead of living breathing dinosaurs"; "the heavy-breathing person on the telephone" [syn: {eupneic}, {eupnoeic}] [ant: {breathless}]

noun: the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation [syn: {external respiration}, {respiration}, {ventilation}]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Breathe \Breathe\ (br[=e][th]), verb (used without an object) [imp. & p. p. {Breathed} (br[=e][th]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Breathing}.] [From {Breath}.]

1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. ''I am in health, I breathe.'' --Shak.

Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! --Sir W. Scott [The Lay of the Last Minstrel]. [1913 Webster +PJC]

2. To take breath; to rest from action.

Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! --Shak.

3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently.

The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. --Shak.

There breathes a living fragrance from the shore. --Byron.

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Breathing \Breath"ing\, noun

1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.

Subject to a difficulty of breathing. --Melmoth.

2. Air in gentle motion.

3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit.

4. Aspiration; secret prayer. ''Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state.'' --Tillotson.

5. Exercising; promotion of respiration.

Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip. --Shak.

6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words.

I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. --Shak.

7. Breathing place; vent. --Dryden.

8. Stop; pause; delay.

You shake the head at so long a breathing. --Shak.

9. Also, in a wider sense, the sound caused by the friction of the outgoing breath in the throat, mouth, etc., when the glottis is wide open; aspiration; the sound expressed by the letter h.

10. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See {Rough breathing}, {Smooth breathing}, below.

{Breathing place}. (a) A pause. ''That c[ae]sura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse.'' --Sir P. Sidney. (b) A vent.

{Breathing time}, pause; relaxation. --Bp. Hall.

{Breathing while}, time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time. --Shak.

{Rough breathing} ({spiritus asper}) ([spasp]). See 2d {Asper}, noun

{Smooth breathing} ({spiritus lenis}), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie'nai (ienai).
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