n. [ OE. breth, breeth, AS. br&aemacr_;ð odor, scent, breath; cf. OHG. brādam 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 respiration, has parted with oxygen and has received carbonic acid, aqueous vapor, warmth, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Melted as breath into the wind. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of breathing naturally or freely; the power or capacity to breathe freely; as, I am out of breath. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The power of respiration, and hence, life. Hood. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou takest away their breath, they die. Ps. civ. 29. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Time to breathe; respite; pause. [ 1913 Webster ]

Give me some breath, some little pause. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A single respiration, or the time of making it; a single act; an instant. [ 1913 Webster ]

He smiles and he frowns in a breath. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Fig.: That which gives or strengthens life. [ 1913 Webster ]

The earthquake voice of victory,
To thee the breath of life. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A single word; the slightest effort; a trifle. [ 1913 Webster ]

A breath can make them, as a breath has made. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A very slight breeze; air in gentle motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Calm and unruffled as a summer's sea,
when not a breath of wind flies o'er its surface. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Fragrance; exhalation; odor; perfume. Tennison. [ 1913 Webster ]

The breath of flowers. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Gentle exercise, causing a quicker respiration. [ 1913 Webster ]

An after dinner's breath. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Out of breath, breathless, exhausted; breathing with difficulty. --
Under one's breath, in low tones. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Such as can be breathed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being breathable. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. to test the alcohol content of someone's blood by means of a breathalyzer.
Syn. -- breathalyse. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ a Trademark. ]a device that measures alcohol content of a person's breath.
Syn. -- breathalyser, breath analyzer. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Breathed p. pr. & vb. n. Breathing. ] [ From Breath. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. “I am in health, I breathe.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently. [ 1913 Webster ]

The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

There breathes a living fragrance from the shore. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire. [ 1913 Webster ]

To view the light of heaven, and breathe the vital air. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To inject by breathing; to infuse; -- with into. [ 1913 Webster ]

Able to breathe life into a stone. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Gen. ii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow. [ 1913 Webster ]

He softly breathed thy name. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse,
A mother's curse, on her revolting son. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To express; to manifest; to give forth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Others articles breathe the same severe spirit. Milner. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. “They breathe the flute.” Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To promote free respiration in; to exercise. [ 1913 Webster ]

And every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

A moment breathed his panting steed. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. To put out of breath; to exhaust. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mr. Tulkinghorn arrives in his turret room, a little breathed by the journey up. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Phonetics) To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants. [ 1913 Webster ]

The same sound may be pronounces either breathed, voiced, or whispered. H. Sweet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Breathed elements, being already voiceless, remain unchanged [ in whispering ]. H. Sweet. [ 1913 Webster ]

To breathe again, to take breath; to feel a sense of relief, as from danger, responsibility, or press of business. --
To breathe one's last, to die; to expire. --
To breathe a vein, to open a vein; to let blood. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. having breath or breath as specified; usually used in combination; as, sweet-breathed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. uttered without voice.
Syn. -- voiceless. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. One who breathes. Hence: (a) One who lives. (b) One who utters. (c) One who animates or inspires. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which puts one out of breath, as violent exercise. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. a pause to catch one's breath, or for some other form of rest or refreshment; -- often used in the phrase
to take a breather, i.e. to pause for refreshment. [ Colloq. ] [ PJC ]

4. a vent in a container to allow equalization of internal and external pressure. [ PJC ]

5. an air intake pipe to provide air to machinery or people submerged or otherwise sealed off from the outside. [ PJC ]