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REFERENCE

exhale

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɛksˈheɪɫ// UK //ɛkshˈeɪl// ex·hale

v. to breathe air out of your lungs. You do this when you finish a deep breath or when you want to relax.

v. to breathe out; to expel air or gas from the lungs. Often used in medical or physiological contexts to describe the second phase of respiration.


SIMPLE

Take a deep breath and then exhale slowly.

CONTEXTUAL

The yoga instructor told the class to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

COMPLEX

As the tension in the room finally broke, the negotiator allowed himself to exhale a long, shaky breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle French exhaler, from Latin exhalare, from ex (“out”) + halare (“to breathe”).

Usage

The verb can be used both transitively (to exhale smoke) and intransitively (to breathe out).

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