Breathing

Breath·ing

Breathing

n.
  1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.
    Subject to a difficulty of breathing.
    — Melmoth.
  2. Air in gentle motion.
  3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit.
  4. Aspiration; secret prayer.
  5. Exercising; promotion of respiration.
    Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip.
  6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words.
    I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose.
  7. Breathing place; vent.
  8. Stop; pause; delay.
    You shake the head at so long a breathing.
  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.
  10. A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below. (Gr. Gram.)

Phrases & Compounds
Breathing place
A pause.
Breathing time
pause; relaxation.
Breathing while
time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time.
Rough breathing
See 2d Asper, n.
Smooth breathing
a mark (’) indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie`nai (ienai).