What does "breath" mean?

1. (air from the lungs) the air that you take into your lungs and then let out. 2. (a single cycle) one single time that you take air in or let it out. 3. (a slight movement) a very small amount of wind or air. 4. (a short break) a short rest or a pause to catch your energy.

breath — meaning, definition & examples

Q: Is it correct to say "It was hard to breath after the run."?

No — say "It was hard to breathe after the run.". Breath is the noun (the air); breathe is the verb (the action).

Word

01air from the lungs

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun

n. the air that you take into your lungs and then let out.

n. the air inhaled into or exhaled from the lungs during respiration.

“He could see his breath in the cold morning air.”

“The hiker paused to watch his breath condense into a white mist against the freezing mountain air.”

Pitfall

It was hard to breath after the run.

It was hard to breathe after the run.

Breath is the noun (the air); breathe is the verb (the action).

Synonyms

exhalationinhalation

02a single cycle

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. one single time that you take air in or let it out.

n. a single act of respiration.

“Take a deep breath and try to relax before the presentation.”

“The swimmer took one final deep breath before diving into the pool to begin the final lap of the race.”

Synonyms

gasp gulp

03a slight movement

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Literary

n. a very small amount of wind or air.

n. a slight movement of air; a light breeze.

“There wasn't even a breath of wind to move the leaves.”

“The sails hung limp and useless, as there was not a breath of wind to stir the heavy afternoon heat.”

Synonyms

breeze puff whisper

04a short break

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. a short rest or a pause to catch your energy.

n. a brief pause or interval of rest, especially to recover from physical exertion.

“The workers stopped for a breath after carrying the heavy furniture upstairs.”

“After the frantic opening sequence, the play allows the audience a breath before the tension begins to build again.”

Synonyms

pause break rest

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “breath” in context.

Verb

01. breath hitches

“Her breath hitched in surprise when she saw the beautiful view.”

noun + verb

02. breath smells

“His breath smelled of peppermint after he finished the candy.”

noun + verb

03. catch breath

“I need to stop running for a minute to catch my breath.”

verb + noun

04. hold breath

“How long can you hold your breath underwater?”

verb + noun

05. take breath

“She took a long breath and dived into the cold water.”

verb + noun

Adjective

06. bad breath

“Eating raw garlic can often cause bad breath.”

adj + noun

07. deep breath

“Take a deep breath and try to relax before you start your speech.”

adj + noun

08. short breath

“The patient complained of having a short breath after walking up the stairs.”

adj + noun

Noun

09. shortness of breath

“Shortness of breath is a common symptom of asthma.”

noun + prep + noun

10. hold one's breath

“The fans held their breath as the player prepared to take the penalty.”

11. out of breath

“She arrived at the top of the hill completely out of breath.”

12. take a deep breath

“I had to take a deep breath to calm my nerves before the interview.”

breath vs breathe

Breath is the noun for the air itself, while breathe is the verb for the action of moving that air.

RememberBreathe has an 'e' for the energy needed to act.

From Middle English breeth, breth, from Old English brǣþ (“odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor”), from Proto-West Germanic *brāþi (“vapour, waft, exhalation, breath”) (compare German Brodem (“haze, vapor; breath”), of a different but related formation).

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

NOUN

breath(B1)

breather(B2)

ADJECTIVE

breathless(B2)

breathtaking(B2)

breathe Wind