breathe, v.
(briːð)
Forms: 4 brethi, 4–5 brethen, 4–6 brethe, breeth, 5 brethyn, 6–8 breath, 5– breathe.
[ME. brethe(n, f. breth, breath: not formed in OE. The verb retains the original long vowel with (ð) for (θ) between two vowels (brethen, etc.): cf. mouth, mouths, to mouth.]
I. intr.
† 1. To exhale, steam, evaporate. Obs.
| a 1300 Fragm. Pop. Sc. (Wr.) 202 The sonne..maketh wateres brethi up as hi schulde swete. 1559 Morwyng Evonym. 198 Heet them in a vessell diligently covered, that nothing breeth out. Ibid. 212 Close it, that the spirits brethe not out. 1560 P. Whitehorne Ordering of Souldiours (1573) 28 b, Putting them into a greate yearthen potte..lute it, or daube it very well aboute, so that it cannot breathe. 1594 Plat Jewell-ho. iii. 26 By this meanes a small quantity of..water will be a long time in breathing out. 1608 Shakes. Per. iii. ii. 94 A warmth breathes out of her. 1670 R. Lassels Voy. Italy (1698) II. 189 The infectious vapour which breatheth out of this sulphurous ground. |
† 2. To emit odour, to smell. Now only fig. with reference to sense 3.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 9119 Bame &..balsaum, þat brethid full swete. c 1468 in Ord. R. Househ. (1790) 40 To make amongst them other swete fumes, things to make them breathe most holesomly and delectable. 1712 Pope Rape Lock i. 134 All Arabia breathes from yonder box. |
b. fig. To be redolent of.
| 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 602 Down from his Head the liquid Odours ran, He breath'd of Heav'n, and look'd above a Man. 1832 Tennyson Mariana in South vi, Old letters, breathing of her worth. 1842 ― Audley Court 7 Francis just alighted from the boat, And breathing of the sea. |
3. Of animals: a. To exhale air from the lungs.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. v. (1495) 52 He makyth the body spirare (that is to brethe). 1526 Tindale John xx. 22 He brethed upon them [Wyclif, he blewe on hem], and sayde vnto them: Receaue the holy goost. 1587 Golding De Mornay ix. 122 If a man do but breath vpon them they vanish into smoke. |
b. To exhale and inhale, to respire. The ordinary current sense, which colours all the others.
| 1377 [see breathing vbl. n. 1]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 50 Brethyn or ondyn, spiro, anelo, aspiro. c 1450 Lonelich Grail xxxviii. 389 Onnethis there brethen they myhte. 1483 Cath. Angl. 43 To Brethe..spiritum trahere..vbi to Ande. 1593 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. xvi. §5 When we breathe, sleep, move. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 45 Before you can say come, and goe, And breathe twice. 1726 Butler Serm. xi. 212 The Air in which we breath. 1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 162 And answer made King Arthur, breathing hard. |
† c. transf. of plants. Obs. rare.
| 1574 T. Hill Conject. Weather i, The seedes in the earth..cannot then breath forth. 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 228 Their [plants'] being kept from Breathing (as I presume to call it). |
d. trans. To bring (to, into a state) by breathing.
| 1816 Byron Ch. Har. iii. lxxix, This breathed itself to life in Julie. |
e. Of wine (uncorked and left for a while to stand): to absorb air, to oxidize, by which process the flavour of the wine is held to improve.
| 1951 R. Postgate Plain Man's Guide to Wine i. 27 Pretty well every wine is improved by being given an hour in which to breathe. 1959 L. Durrell in Holiday Jan. 48/1 And don't drive too fast... It is bad for the wine... And tell Martine to let it rest and breathe after its journey. 1969 A. E. Lindop Sight Unseen xii. 103, I opened a bottle of wine and left it to ‘breathe’. 1987 B. Freemantle Charlie Muffin San xxx. 273 There was a bottle of Margaux on the table..and another opened and breathing on a sideboard. |
f. Of materials (as leather, etc.) which allow the passage of air and inhibit condensation, esp. those worn close to the body. Also transf., of (a part of) the body, esp. the foot.
| 1969 Sears Catal. Spring/Summer 461/2 Upper [of shoe] breathes yet repels water, resists stains. 1970 Motoring Which? July 117/2 We wanted to make the material ‘breathe’, to check on the watertightness of the casing. 1980 Sci. Amer. Apr. 37/1 Because the material can ‘breathe’ and pass perspiration, it interferes little more than ordinary clothing with the ability of its wearer to shed heat. 1982 N. Gould in M. H. Jahss' Disorders of Foot II. lxiv. 1761/1 Rubber soles are heavy and do not ‘breathe’. 1984 Daily Tel. 16 Apr. 12/1 We go jogging in trainers which don't allow the feet to breathe. |
4. To draw the breath of life; to live, exist.
| 1382 Wyclif Joshua x. 40 Alle that myȝten breeth he slowȝ. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. i. 161 Clarence still breathes, Edward still liues and raignes. 1674 Flatman Job i, Few be the days, that feeble man must breath. 1713 Pope Windsor F. 300 What Kings first breath'd upon her winding shore. 1873 Black Pr. Thule xvii. 274 A better-intentioned fellow does not breathe. |
b. with predicative n. or adj.
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iii. i. 82 Why? Am I dead? Do I not breath a Man? 1608 R. Armin Nest Ninn. (1842) 7 The World..askt if it were possible such breathde hers to commaunde. c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 67 Hee'le say our house yet never breathed scant. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey iv. iv. 153 Within five minutes you will breathe a beggar and an outcast. |
c. fig. To live. to breathe through: to animate, inform.
| 1732 Pope Ess. Man i. 275 One stupendous whole..That..Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. v. 102 Its effect on Israel..still moves and breathes amongst us. 1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. ix. (1875) 386 Certain governing ideas of Spinoza..which breathe through all his works. |
d. fig. To be alive with.
| a 1881 Disraeli (O.) The staircase in fresco..breathed with the loves and wars of gods and heroes. |
5. To take breath (see breath 7 b); fig. to pause, take rest. to breathe again (fig.): to recover from anxiety, excitement, etc.; to be relieved in mind. to breathe freely: to be at ease; to be in one's element.
| 1577 Holinshed Chron. III. 1137/1 Without giuing anie long time to the residue of the guides..to breath vpon their businesse. 1595 Shakes. John iv. ii. 137 Now I breath againe Aloft the flood. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxv. §8 If..only to breathe between troubles may be termed quietness. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xiii. 60 Let vs breathe and refresh a little. 1720 Ozell Vertot's Rom. Rep. II. xiv. 331 With Orders to give Antony no Time to Breathe, but to pursue him forthwith. 1839 Thirlwall Greece I. 333 War was the element in which the Spartan seems to have breathed most freely. 1859 Tennyson Enid 567 Twice they fought, and twice they breathed. |
† 6. fig. to breathe to, breathe after: to aspire to, pant after, long to attain to. Obs.
| 1524 St. Papers Hen. VIII, IV. 245 The saide Archebusshop bretheth myche to honour. a 1593 H. Smith Serm. (1866) II. 330 Let us breathe after the fountain of the living water. a 1602 W. Watson Decacord. 154 Whilest the Spaniard was a breathing to have gotten the Kingdom, if he could. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 428 We see the Turkes..breathing after our destruction. 1734 Watts Reliq. Juv. (1789) 257 Set it a breathing after eternal things. |
7. transf. To give forth audible breath or sound; to speak, sing, etc.
| 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. v. 2 Speake, breathe, discusse. 1607 ― Timon iii. v. 59 You breath in vaine. 1632 Milton Penseroso 151 As I wake, sweet music breathe. 1842 Tennyson Two Voices 434 A hint, a whisper breathing low. |
8. Of wind, air, etc.: To blow softly. (Cf. 3 a.)
| 1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 46 The ayre breathes vpon vs here most sweetly. 1704 Pope Windsor F. 136 Where cooling vapours breathe along the mead. 1830 Tennyson Godiva 55 The low wind hardly breathed for fear. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 48 The wind that breathes upon the woods. |
9. to breathe upon (fig.): to infect or contaminate; to tarnish (as if with breath); to taint, corrupt. Cf. blow upon, blow v.1 30.
| [1591 Shakes. Two Gent. v. iv. 131 Take but possession of her, with a Touch: I dare thee, but to breath vpon my Loue.] 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. v. i. 429 When the proud name on which they pinnacled Their hopes is breathed on. 1859 Tennyson Enid 1799 Before the Queen's fair name was breathed upon. |
II. trans.
10. To exhale, to emit by expiration (out); fig. to send or infuse into, communicate by breathing.
| 1382 Wyclif Lament. ii. 12 Whan thei shuld brethen out ther soulis in the bosom of ther modris. 1388 ― Gen. ii. 7 The Lord God..brethide in to his face the brething of lijf. c 1590 Marlowe Massacre Paris iii. ii, Breathe out that life wherein my death was hid. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. i. 7 Who..from their misty Iawes Breath foule contagious darknesse in the ayre. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lxiv. 104 Her unvoic'd lips breathed incense faintly to heaven. 1873 Morley Rousseau I. 313 He breathed new life into them. |
b. transf. of things.
| 1647 W. Browne Polex. ii. 339 The resolution that hatred can breath into haughty courages. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 244 His Altar breathes Ambrosial Odours. Ibid. iii. 607 What wonder then if fields and regions here Breathe forth Elixir pure. 1782 Cowper Table T. 294 Place me where Winter breathes his keenest air. 1839 Arnold in Stanley Life II. ix. (1858) 140 The rocks actually breathing fragrance from the number of their aromatic plants. |
c. to breathe one's last or one's last breath or gasp: to die, expire.
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, v. ii. 40 Mountague hath breath'd his last. Ibid. ii. i. 108 Where your braue Father breath'd his latest gaspe. 1651 Proc. Parliament No. 82. 1247 The kingdome, languishing and ready to breath out her last. 1714 Pope Rape Lock iii. 158. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. xcviii. 5 Where he breathed his latest breath. |
11. To inhale and exhale (air, etc.), to respire; esp. to inhale, as in ‘to breathe foul air’. Also fig.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 732, I breath free breath. 1632 Sanderson 12 Serm. 472 The ayre we continually breath. a 1704 T. Brown Dk. Ormond's Recov., Divine Alcides breathes celestial air. 1810 Henry Elem. Chem. (1826) II. 605 A sensation..produced by breathing the fumes of burning sulphur. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 17 Wreaths..that intercept the air one breathes. Mod. Free as the air we breathe. |
12. To give utterance to: a. To utter in the most quiet way; to whisper, make known, communicate.
| 1595 Shakes. John iv. ii. 36 To this effect..We breath'd our Councell. a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1702) I. iii. 203 Few men to whom he could breath his Conscience. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe II. i. 20 But the petition was already breathed. a 1847 R. Hamilton Rew. & Punishm. viii. (1853) 378 No intimation of hope is breathed. Mod. I would not breathe it to another. |
b. To utter with vehemence or passion. Also with out.
| 1535 Coverdale Acts ix. 1 Saul was yet breathinge out threatnynges and slaughter agaynst the disciples of the Lorde. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. vi. 38 Two knights..Both breathing vengeaunce. 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Duc, Both..now and then breath out horrible shrikes. 1648 W. Jenkyn Blind Guide i. 3 He breathes out reproaches. 1720 Ozell Vertot's Rom. Rep. II. x. 153 Marius..breathed nothing but Blood and Slaughter. 1809 J. Barlow Columb. iii. 22 The nations..Breathe deadly strife, and sigh for battle's blare. |
c. To express, manifest, evince, display.
| 1667 Milton P.L. i. 554 Such as..in stead of rage Deliberate valour breath'd. 1780 Harris Philol. Enq. (1841) 482 A custom breathing their liberal and noble disposition. 1792 S. Rogers Pleas. Mem. ii. 12 Whose language breathed the eloquence of Truth. 1846 Wright Ess. Mid. Ages I. ii. 61 Passages which breathe the true spirit of poetry. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. xiii. 251 The whole period breathes a primitive simplicity. |
13. trans. and refl. To let breathe; to give breathing, or a breathing space to; to recreate.
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 252/1 The Kings permission to him granted, to breath himselfe a little and to walke abrode. 1596 Danett Comines (1614) 304 When we had breathed our horses, wee ridde foorth a fast trot towards the King. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. xvi. 324 Stopping..to breath himself and the Reader. 1824 Southey Life & Corr. (1850) v. 177 Taking up a book for five or ten minutes, by way of breathing myself. 1835 Willis Pencillings II. liv. 122 We dismounted here to breathe our horses. |
14. To excite the respiratory organs of: hence † a. to exercise briskly; to accustom to by exercise (obs.). b. to put out of breath, exhaust, tire.
| [1430–1525 See breathed 1.] |
| 1567 Turberv. in Thynne's Animadv. Introd. 143 You breath your foming steede Athwart the fields. 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. i. v. 127 Ile send for one of these Fencers, and hee shall breath you. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. iii. 271, I thinke thou wast created for men to breath themselues vpon thee. 1611 Heywood Gold. Age ii. i. Wks. 1874 III. 32 Nor haue I yet bene to these pastimes breath'd. 1658 Whole Duty Man i. §52. 11 He that expects to run a race will beforehand be often breathing himself. 1676 F. Vernon in Phil. Trans. II. 580 The Plains of Elis are..fit to breath Horses in. 1826 F. Cooper Mohicans (1829) II. xv. 232 The warriors who had breathed themselves so freely in the preceding struggle. 1847 Tennyson Princess Prol. 113 He had breath'd the Proctor's dogs. 1884 M. E. Braddon Ishmael II. 183 He was a little breathed when he stood before the door. |
15. To give breath to (a wind instrument); to blow.
| a 1721 Prior Solomon iii. Wks. (1835) II. 178 They breathe the flute, or strike the vocal wire. 1762 Judas Macc. iii. 18 See the Godlike Youth advance, Breathe the Flutes, and lead the Dance. 1822 [see breathed 4]. |
16. to breathe a vein: to give vent to it; to lance it so as to let blood. arch. or ? Obs.
| 1652 French Yorksh. Spa x. 95 Have a vein breathed. 1655 Culpepper Riverius i. xv. 53 If the Liver be hot..we must breath a Vein. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VIII. 120 They were forced to breath a vein to bring her to herself. 1756 P. Browne Jamaica 25. 1836 Marryat Japhet iv. 10 Permitting me to breathe a vein in his own arm. |