breathing

breathing
    adj 1: passing or able to pass air in and out of the lungs
           normally; sometimes used in combination; "the boy was
           disappointed to find only skeletons instead of living
           breathing dinosaurs"; "the heavy-breathing person on the
           telephone" [syn: {breathing}, {eupneic}, {eupnoeic}]
           [ant: {breathless}, {dyspneal}, {dyspneic}, {dyspnoeal},
           {dyspnoeic}]
    n 1: the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the
         process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing
         carbon dioxide by exhalation [syn: {breathing}, {external
         respiration}, {respiration}, {ventilation}]
    

Breathe \Breathe\ (br[=e][th]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Breathed}
   (br[=e][th]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Breathing}.] [From {Breath}.]
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   1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. "I
      am in health, I breathe." --Shak.
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            Breathes there a man with soul so dead
            Who never to himself hath said,
            This is my own, my native land!       --Sir W. Scott
                                                  [The Lay of
                                                  the Last
                                                  Minstrel].
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   2. To take breath; to rest from action.
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            Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! --Shak.
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   3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to
      emanate; to blow gently.
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            The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. --Shak.
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            There breathes a living fragrance from the shore.
                                                  --Byron.
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Breathing \Breath"ing\, n.
   1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.
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            Subject to a difficulty of breathing. --Melmoth.
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   2. Air in gentle motion.
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   3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the
      breathings of the Spirit.
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   4. Aspiration; secret prayer. "Earnest desires and breathings
      after that blessed state." --Tillotson.
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   5. Exercising; promotion of respiration.
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            Here is a lady that wants breathing too;
            And I have heard, you knights of Tyre
            Are excellent in making ladies trip.  --Shak.
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   6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words.
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            I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. --Shak.
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   7. Breathing place; vent. --Dryden.
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   8. Stop; pause; delay.
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            You shake the head at so long a breathing. --Shak.
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   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.
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   10. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence.
       See {Rough breathing}, {Smooth breathing}, below.
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   {Breathing place}.
       (a) A pause. "That c[ae]sura, 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}) ([spasp]). See 2d
      {Asper}, n.

   {Smooth breathing} ({spiritus lenis}), a mark (') indicating
      the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie`nai (ienai).
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