breath
breath — noun
1. air moving through your lungs while you breathe.
air moving through your lungs while you breathe.
Cold air made Mira's breath look white outside the bakery.
breath as visible air in cold weather
The nurse checked for breath after the swimmer was pulled ashore.
check for breath in an emergency
Garlic from lunch stayed on Bao's breath through the afternoon class.
Fear made my breath quick and noisy in the dark stairwell.
- air
broader; not specifically the air a person moves in and out of the lungs
- exhalation
more technical and usually stresses the air going out
- respiration
formal and scientific rather than everyday
文法句型
on somebody's breath
check for breath
用法筆記
Common with verbs and phrases about smell, visibility, or signs of life: check for breath, feel breath on your face, bad breath. Distinguish from sense 7, which counts one single inhalation or exhalation.
常見錯誤
2. a short stop that lets your breathing become normal again after effort or shock.
a short stop that lets your breathing become normal again after effort or shock.
After carrying the sofa upstairs, I sat down to catch my breath.
catch your breath after effort
Leila stopped halfway up the hill to get her breath back.
get your breath back
Startled by the crash, Grandpa Yusuf needed a minute to catch his breath.
The goalkeeper bent over briefly, trying to get her breath back.
- breather
informal and broader; can mean any short rest
- recovery pause
clearer in exercise or medical contexts
- rest
broader and does not specifically suggest breathing returning to normal
文法句型
catch your breath
get your breath back
用法筆記
Usually follows 'catch' or 'get ... back'. It is about your body settling after running, climbing, or a sudden shock, unlike sense 4, which is a work pause between tasks.
常見錯誤
3. the simple act of breathing, especially in the phrase 'draw breath'.
the simple act of breathing, especially in the phrase 'draw breath'.
After the rescue, Omar could finally draw breath without coughing.
draw breath = breathe
Smoke filled the kitchen so fast that nobody could draw breath.
negative form: could not draw breath
The newborn calf drew breath and then struggled onto its legs.
Even through the mask, Theo struggled to draw breath in the dust.
- breathe
plain verb equivalent outside the fixed phrase
- respire
formal and uncommon in everyday speech
- take in air
paraphrase that explains the physical action
文法句型
draw breath
用法筆記
Most often used with 'draw'. It talks about being physically able to breathe at all, not about taking one deliberate inhale like sense 8.
4. a brief break before the next task, call, or event begins.
a brief break before the next task, call, or event begins.
Between serving tables, the waiter barely had time to draw breath.
barely have time to draw breath
After three school visits, the campaign team paused for breath in the van.
pause for breath between tasks
Ms. Okafor barely drew breath before the next parent arrived.
The kitchen staff had no chance to draw breath during the lunch rush.
文法句型
draw breath
pause for breath
用法筆記
Often appears when someone is busy and moves straight to the next thing. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about breathing recovering after exertion, not simply getting a brief gap in activity.
5. air kept inside your lungs for a moment when you stop breathing out.
air kept inside your lungs for a moment when you stop breathing out.
The children held their breath as they swam under the floating dock.
hold your breath underwater
Before diving, Yara held her breath and slipped below the surface.
The doctor asked Ravi to hold his breath during the chest scan.
For the x-ray, Mei held her breath until the machine stopped buzzing.
- stop breathing
plain paraphrase, though less exact about keeping air inside
- suspend breathing
formal and medical
- keep still
often happens at the same time in scans, but not the same meaning
- breathe out
releasing the air instead of keeping it in
文法句型
hold your breath
用法筆記
Usually follows 'hold'. Most often literal in swimming, diving, singing, or medical instructions. Distinguish from sense 6, which uses the same words figuratively for anxious waiting.
常見錯誤
6. an anxious or excited way of waiting for news or an event, as if your breathing
an anxious or excited way of waiting for news or an event, as if your breathing briefly pauses.
Families watched the hospital doors with bated breath during the storm.
fixed phrase: with bated breath
Parents waited with bated breath for the exam results.
The class listened with bated breath as the winner's name was read.
Fans watched the final kick with bated breath in the school hall.
- anticipation
broader and more neutral; it does not suggest the same tense feeling
- suspense
focuses on uncertainty itself, not on the people waiting
- calm
shows a relaxed state instead of tense waiting
文法句型
with bated breath
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'with bated breath', rather than as a free noun phrase.
常見錯誤
7. one time when you breathe in.
one time when you breathe in.
Before the photo, Aiko took a breath and fixed her hair.
take a breath
The nurse told Ravi to take one breath before the test.
one breath = one inhaling action
At the cold window, Diego drew a sharp breath and smiled.
After crying, the child finally took a long, steady breath.
- inhalation
more formal and more common in medical writing
- intake
used especially when breathing is measured or controlled
- exhalation
the action of breathing air out
文法句型
take a breath
draw a breath
用法筆記
Focuses on the action of breathing in. Distinguish from sense 8, which treats breath as the amount of air taken in.
常見錯誤
8. the amount of air you take in with one intake into your lungs.
the amount of air you take in with one intake into your lungs.
Each breath felt smaller as Yusuf ran up the hill.
each breath = each amount of air taken in
The doctor counted Hana's breaths while she slept in the clinic.
One deep breath eased some of the pain in Theo's chest.
Every breath brought cold air deep into Noa's lungs.
- lungful
close in meaning, but less common in everyday use
- inhalation
can overlap, but often sounds more formal and action-focused
- exhalation
the amount of air breathed out
文法句型
a deep breath
each breath
between breaths
用法筆記
Often appears with words that measure or describe the air itself, such as 'deep', 'shallow', 'every', or 'between'. Distinguish from sense 7, which highlights the act of breathing in.
常見錯誤
9. even the weakest little movement in the air.
even the weakest little movement in the air.
There was not a breath of wind on the lake at sunrise.
not a breath of wind
The old flag hung still; not a breath of air moved it.
By noon, the garden was hot and without a breath of wind.
Not even the leaves shook, because there was no breath of wind.
- gale
a very strong wind, the opposite extreme
文法句型
not a breath of wind
not a breath of air
用法筆記
Usually appears in negative statements to stress complete stillness, especially with 'wind' or 'air'.
常見錯誤
10. a brief time outside, especially to get some fresh air after being indoors.
a brief time outside, especially to get some fresh air after being indoors.
After three hours inside, Priya went out for a breath of fresh air.
go out for a breath of fresh air
The cook stepped outside for a quick breath of fresh air.
During the long meeting, Jin slipped outside for a breath of fresh air.
The children asked for a breath of fresh air after the bus ride.
文法句型
go out for a breath of fresh air
step outside for a breath of fresh air
用法筆記
Most often part of the phrase 'a breath of fresh air' when someone briefly goes outside. Distinguish from sense 9, which is about a tiny movement of wind.
常見錯誤
11. life itself, used in phrases about people who have ever lived.
life itself, used in phrases about people who have ever lived.
Beside the trophy case, the coach said no runner who drew breath matched Zara.
who drew breath = who lived
At the shelter, Ravi said every child who drew breath deserved hot soup.
In the museum, few painters who ever drew breath matched Imani's storm paintings.
The village called Aunt Rosa the bravest woman ever to draw breath.
- die
the direct opposite in meaning
文法句型
who drew breath
ever to draw breath
用法筆記
Usually follows 'draw' in broad claims or comparisons. It sounds elevated and emphatic. Distinguish from sense 3, where 'draw breath' means the physical act of breathing.