breath

breath
noun
ADJECTIVE
big, deep, heavy, long, slow
quick, shallow, sharp, short
shaky, shuddering
hot, warm
bad (= bad-smelling)

Smoking gives you bad breath.

VERB + BREATH
draw, draw in, inhale, suck in, take

He spoke solidly for twenty minutes, barely pausing to draw breath.

Take a deep breath and try to relax.

exhale, let out, release

He let out a long breath.

feel

She could feel his warm breath against her cheek.

hold

How long can you hold your breath for?

get back (BrE), regain

I needed a few minutes to get my breath back after the run.

catch

She paused to catch her breath.

gasp for

He came up out of the water gasping for breath.

pause for

She poured out her story, hardly pausing for breath.

save (figurative)

It's useless talking to him—you may as well save your breath.

waste (figurative)

Don't waste your breath. He never listens to advice.

BREATH + VERB
come in gasps, pants, puffs, etc.

His breath came in short gasps.

PREPOSITION
on sb's breath

I could smell gin on her breath.

out of breath

I'm a little out of breath after my run.

under your breath

He was whispering rude remarks about her under his breath.

breath of

It was a still day, without a breath of wind.

PHRASES
a breath of fresh air (often figurative)

I'm going outside for a breath of fresh air.

The new secretary is a breath of fresh air.

an intake of breath

When the news was announced, there was a sharp intake of breath.

in the same breath

How can we trust a government that mentions community care and cutbacks in the same breath?

short of breath

I felt a little short of breath and had to sit down.

take sb's breath away (figurative)

The sheer audacity of the man took my breath away.

with bated breath

We waited for the decision with bated breath.


Collocations dictionary. 2013.

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  • breath — W2S3 [breθ] n [: Old English; Origin: brAth] 1.) a) [U] the air that you send out of your lungs when you breathe ▪ Leo could smell the wine on her breath. ▪ Let your breath out slowly. ▪ He s got bad breath (=breath that smells unpleasant) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • breath — [ breθ ] noun count or uncount *** the air that goes in and out of your body through your nose or mouth: He could feel her warm breath on his face. His breath smelled strongly of alcohol. a. the act of getting air into your lungs by breathing:… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Breath — (br[e^]th), n. [OE. breth, breeth, AS. br[=ae][eth] odor, scent, breath; cf. OHG. br[=a]dam steam, vapor, breath, G. brodem, and possibly E. {Brawn}, and {Breed}.] 1. The air inhaled and exhaled in respiration; air which, in the process of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • breath — ► NOUN 1) air taken into or expelled from the lungs. 2) an instance of breathing in or out. 3) a slight movement of air. 4) a sign, hint, or suggestion: he avoided the slightest breath of scandal. ● breath of fresh air Cf. ↑breath of fresh air …   English terms dictionary

  • breath — breath; breath·er; breath·i·ness; breath·ing; breath·ing·ly; breath·less; breath·less·ness; Breath·a·ly·zer; breath·able; breath·a·bil·i·ty; breath·less·ly; breath·tak·ing·ly; …   English syllables

  • breath — [breth] n. [ME breth < OE bræth, odor, exhalation < IE base * bher , well up > FERMENT, BARM, BROOD] 1. air taken into the lungs and then let out 2. the act of breathing; respiration 3. the power to breathe easily and naturally [to get… …   English World dictionary

  • Breath — «Breath» Сингл Breaki …   Википедия

  • Breath — Single par Aya Kamiki Face A Breath Face B Mamoritai... Sortie 21 mai 2003 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Breath — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Breath (exhalación) es un montaje de escenario, escrito por Samuel Beckett, una versión modificada de esta performance fue incluida en el musical de Kenneth Tynan Oh! Calcutta!. Este trabajo fue estrenado en octubre… …   Wikipedia Español

  • breath — [n1] respiration animation, breathing, eupnea, exhalation, expiration, gasp, gulp, inhalation, inspiration, insufflation, pant, wheeze; concept 163 breath [n2] wind or something in the air aroma, faint breeze, flatus, flutter, gust, odor, puff,… …   New thesaurus

  • breath|er — «BREE thuhr», noun. 1. a short stop for breath; rest: »He had stopped for a few minutes breather. SYNONYM(S): respite, pause. 2. a person or thing that breathes: »I will chide no breather in the world but myself against whom I know most faults… …   Useful english dictionary

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