n. 1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air. [ 1913 Webster ] Subject to a difficulty of breathing. Melmoth. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Air in gentle motion. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Aspiration; secret prayer. “Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state.” Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Exercising; promotion of respiration. [ 1913 Webster ] Here is a lady that wants breathing too;
And I have heard, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words. [ 1913 Webster ] I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. Breathing place; vent. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] 8. Stop; pause; delay. [ 1913 Webster ] You shake the head at so long a breathing. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ] 10. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below. [ 1913 Webster ]
Breathing place. (a) A pause. “That cæsura, 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) (&asper_;). See 2d Asper, n. --
Smooth breathing (spiritus lenis), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie`nai (ienai). [ 1913 Webster ]
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