English Reference
Idiom idiom

take a deep breath


To inhale deeply.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Take a deep breath before you start your speech.

CONTEXTUAL

She had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves before walking into the interview room.

COMPLEX

As the tension in the room reached its peak, he paused to take a deep breath, steadying his resolve before delivering the difficult news to the board.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  2. 02

    breath of fresh air

    Something relieving, refreshing, or new.

  3. 03

    cross to take up

    Alternative form of cross to bear.

  4. 04

    deep cut

    An obscure song by a well known musician.

  5. 05

    deep dive

    An in-depth examination or analysis of a topic.

  6. 06

    deep down

    Fundamentally; in essence; in reality

  7. 07

    deep pockets

    An ample supply of money, especially money which one is willing to spend; the possessor of such money.

  8. 08

    deep six

    To discard, get rid of, or cancel; to completely put an end to something.

Last updated August 10, 2026