Breathe

v. Forms: 4 brethi, 4–5 brethen, 4–6 brethe, breeth, 5 brethyn, 6–8 breath, 5– breathe. [ME. brethe(n, f. breth, BREATH: not formed in OE. The verb retains the original long vowel with ð for þ between two vowels (brethen, etc.): cf. mouth, mouths, to mouth.]

  I.  intr. † 1. To exhale, steam, evaporate. Obs.

a. 1300.  Fragm. Pop. Sc. (Wr.), 202. The sonne … maketh wateres brethi up as hi schulde swete.

1559.  Morwyng, Evonym., 198. Heet them in a vessell diligently covered, that nothing breeth out. Ibid., 212. Close it, that the spirits brethe not out.

1560.  P. Whitehorne, Ordering of Souldiours (1573), 28 b. Putting them into a greate yearthen potte … lute it, or daube it very well aboute, so that it cannot breathe.

1594.  Plat, Jewell-ho., III. 26. By this meanes a small quantity of … water will be a long time in breathing out.

1608.  Shaks., Per., III. ii. 94. A warmth breathes out of her.

1670.  Lassels, Voy. Italy (1698), II. 189. The infectious vapour which breatheth out of this sulphurous ground.

  † 2.  To emit odor, to smell. Now only fig. with reference to sense 3.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 9119. Bame &… balsaum, þat brethid full swete.

c. 1468.  in Ord. R. Househ. (1790), 40. To make amongst them other swete fumes, things to make them breathe most holesomly and delectable.

1712.  Pope, Rape Lock, I. 134. All Arabia breathes from yonder box.

  b.  fig. To be redolent of.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 602. Down from his Head the liquid Odours ran, He breath’d of Heav’n, and look’d above a Man.

1832.  Tennyson, Mariana in South, vi. Old letters, breathing of her worth. Ibid. (1842), Audley Crt., 7. Francis just alighted from the boat, And breathing of the sea.

  3.  Of animals: a. To exhale air from the lungs.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. v. (1495), 52. He makyth the body spirare (that is to brethe).

1526.  Tindale, John xx. 22. He brethed upon them [Wyclif, he blewe on hem], and sayde vnto them: Receaue the holy goost.

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, ix. 122. If a man do but breath vpon them they vanish into smoke.

  b.  To exhale and inhale, to respire. The ordinary current sense, which colors all the others.

1377.  [see BREATHING vbl. sb. 1].

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 50. Brethyn or ondyn, spiro, anclo, aspiro.

c. 1450.  Lonelich, Grail, xxxviii. 389. Onnethis there brethen they myhte.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 43. To Brethe … spiritum trahere … vbi to Ande.

1593.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. xvi. § 5. When we breathe, sleep, move.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., IV. i. 45. Before you can say come, and goe, And breathe twice.

1726.  Butler, Serm., xi. 212. The Air in which we breath.

1842.  Tennyson, Morte d’Arth., 162. And answer made King Arthur, breathing hard.

  † c.  transf. of plants. Obs. rare.

1574.  Hyll, Conject. Weather, i. The seedes in the earth … cannot then breath forth.

1664.  Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 228. Their [plants’] being kept from Breathing (as I presume to call it).

  d.  trans. To bring (to, into a state) by breathing.

1816.  Byron, Ch. Har., III. lxxix. This breathed itself to life in Julie.

  4.  To draw the breath of life; to live, exist.

1382.  Wyclif, Joshua x. 40. Alle that myȝten breeth he slowȝ.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., I. i. 161. Clarence still breathes, Edward still liues and raignes.

1674.  Flatman, Job, i. Few be the days, that feeble man must breath.

1713.  Pope, Windsor For., 300. What Kings first breath’d upon her winding shore.

1873.  Black, Pr. Thule, xvii. 274. A better-intentioned fellow does not breathe.

  b.  with predicative sb. or adj.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., III. i. 82. Why? Am I dead? Do I not breath a Man?

1608.  Armin, Nest Ninn. (1842), 7. The World … askt if it were possible such breathde hers to commaunde.

c. 1620.  Z. Boyd, Zion’s Flowers (1855), 67. Hee’le say our house yet never breathed scant.

1826.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, IV. iv. 153. Within five minutes you will breathe a beggar and an outcast.

  c.  fig. To live. To breathe through: to animate, inform.

1732.  Pope, Ess. Man, I. 275. One stupendous whole … That … Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part.

1862.  Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. v. 102. Its effect on Israel … still moves and breathes amongst us.

1865.  M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., ix. (1875), 386. Certain governing ideas of Spinoza … which breathe through all his works.

  d.  fig. To be alive with.

1844.  Disraeli, Coningsby, I. I. iii. 35 (O.). The staircase in fresco by Sir James Thornhill, breathed with the loves and wars of Gods and heroes.

  5.  To take breath (see BREATH 7 b); fig. to pause, take rest. To breathe again (fig.): to recover from anxiety, excitement, etc.; to be relieved in mind. To breathe freely: to be at ease; to be in one’s element.

1577.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 1137/1. Without giuing anie long time to the residue of the guides … to breath vpon their businesse.

1595.  Shaks., John, IV. ii. 137. Now I breath againe Aloft the flood.

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxv. § 8. If … only to breathe between troubles may be termed quietness.

1627.  Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., xiii. 60. Let vs breathe and refresh a little.

1720.  Ozell, Vertot’s Rom. Rep., II. XIV. 331. With Orders to give Antony no Time to Breathe, but to pursue him forthwith.

1839.  Thirlwall, Greece, I. 333. War was the element in which the Spartan seems to have breathed most freely.

1859.  Tennyson, Enid, 567. Twice they fought, and twice they breathed.

  † 6.  fig. To breathe to, after: to aspire to, pant after, long to attain to. Obs.

1524.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 245. The saide Archebusshop bretheth myche to honour.

a. 1593.  H. Smith, Serm. (1866), II. 330. Let us breathe after the fountain of the living water.

a. 1602.  W. Watson, Decacorden, 154. Whilest the Spaniard was a breathing to have gotten the Kingdom, if he could.

1603.  Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 428. We see the Turkes … breathing after our destruction.

1734.  Watts, Reliq. Juv. (1789), 257. Set it a breathing after eternal things.

  7.  transf. To give forth audible breath or sound; to speak, sing, etc.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., IV. v. 2. Speake, breathe, discusse. Ibid. (1607), Timon, III. v. 59. You breath in vaine.

1632.  Milton, Penseroso, 151. As I wake, sweet music breathe.

1842.  Tennyson, Two Voices, 434. A hint, a whisper breathing low.

  8.  Of wind, air, etc.: To blow softly. (Cf. 3 a.)

1610.  Shaks., Temp., II. i. 46. The ayre breathes vpon vs here most sweetly.

1704.  Pope, Windsor For., 136. Where cooling vapours breathe along the mead.

1830.  Tennyson, Godiva, 55. The low wind hardly breathed for fear.

1884.  W. C. Smith, Kildrostan, 48. The wind that breathes upon the woods.

  9.  To breathe upon (fig.): to infect or contaminate; to tarnish (as if with breath); to taint, corrupt. Cf. blow upon, BLOW v.¹ 30.

[1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 131. Take but possession of her, with a Touch: I dare thee, but to breath vpon my Loue.]

1820.  Byron, Mar. Fal., V. i. 429. When the proud name on which they pinnacled Their hopes is breathed on.

1859.  Tennyson, Enid, 1799. Before the Queen’s fair name was breathed upon.

  II.  trans.

  10.  To exhale, to emit by expiration (out); fig. to send or infuse into, communicate by breathing.

1382.  Wyclif, Lament. ii. 12. Whan thei shuld brethen out ther soulis in the bosom of ther modris. Ibid. (1388), Gen. ii. 7. The Lord God … brethide in to his face the brething of lijf.

c. 1590.  Marlowe, Massacre Paris, III. ii. Breathe out that life wherein my death was hid.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. i. 7. Who … from their misty lawes Breath foule contagious darknesse in the ayre.

1871.  R. Ellis, Catullus, lxiv. 104. Her unvoic’d lips breathed incense faintly to heaven.

1873.  Morley, Rousseau, I. 313. He breathed new life into them.

  b.  transf. of things.

1647.  W. Browne, Polex., II. 339. The resolution that hatred can breath into haughty courages.

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 244. His Altar breathes Ambrosial Odours. Ibid., III. 607. What wonder then if fields and regions here Breathe forth Elixir pure.

1782.  Cowper, Table-T., 294. Place me where Winter breathes his keenest air.

1839.  Arnold, in Stanley, Life, II. ix. (1858), 140. The rocks actually breathing fragrance from the number of their aromatic plants.

  c.  To breathe one’s last or one’s last breath or gasp: to die, expire.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. ii. 40. Mountague hath breath’d his last. Ibid., II. i. 108. Where your braue Father breath’d his latest gaspe.

1651.  Proc. Parliament, No. 82. 1247. The kingdome, languishing and ready to breath out her last.

1714.  Pope, Rape Lock, II. 157.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., xcviii. 5. Where he breathed his latest breath.

  11.  To inhale and exhale (air, etc.), to respire; esp. to inhale, as in ‘to breathe foul air.’ Also fig.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 732. I breath free breath.

1632.  Sanderson, 12 Serm., 472. The ayre we continually breath.

a. 1704.  T. Brown, Dk. Ormond’s Recov. Divine Alcides breathes celestial air.

1810.  Henry, Elem. Chem. (1826), II. 605. A sensation … produced by breathing the fumes of burning sulphur.

1878.  Browning, La Saisiaz, 17. Wreaths … that intercept the air one breathes.

Mod.  Free as the air we breathe.

  12.  To give utterance to: a. To utter in the most quiet way; to whisper, make known, communicate.

1595.  Shaks., John, IV. ii. 36. To this effect … We breath’d our Councell.

a. 1674.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1702), I. III. 203. Few men to whom he could breath his Conscience.

1819.  Scott, Ivanhoe, II. i. 20. But the petition was already breathed.

a. 1847.  R. Hamilton, Rew. & Punishm., viii. (1853), 378. No intimation of hope is breathed.

Mod.  I would not breathe it to another.

  b.  To utter with vehemence or passion. Also with out.

1535.  Coverdale, Acts ix. 1. Saul was yet breathinge out threatnynges and slaughter agaynst the disciples of the Lorde.

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 38. Two knights … Both breathing vengeaunce.

1611.  Cotgr., s.v. Moyen duc … Now and then breath out horrible shrikes.

1648.  Jenkyn, Blind Guide, i. 3. He breathes out reproaches.

1720.  Ozell, trans. Vertot’s Rom. Rep., II. x. 153. Marius … breathed nothing but Blood and Slaughter.

1809.  J. Barlow, Columb., III. 22. The nations … Breathe deadly strife, and sigh for battle’s blare.

  c.  To express, manifest, evince, display.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 554. Such as … in stead of rage Deliberate valour breath’d.

1780.  Harris, Philol. Enq. (1841), 482. A custom breathing their liberal and noble disposition.

1792.  S. Rogers, Pleas. Mem., II. 12. Whose language breathed the eloquence of Truth.

1846.  Wright, Ess. Mid. Ages, I. ii. 61. Passages which breathe the true spirit of poetry.

1862.  Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. xiii. 251. The whole period, breathes a primitive simplicity.

  13.  trans. and refl. To let breathe; to give breathing, or a breathing space to; to recreate.

1563–87.  Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 252/1. The Kings permission to him granted, to breath himselfe a little and to walke abrode.

1596.  Danett, Comines (1614), 304. When we had breathed our horses, wee ridde foorth a fast trot towards the King.

1642.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xvi. 324. Stopping … to breath himself and the Reader.

1824.  Southey, Life & Corr. (1850), v. 177. Taking up a book for five or ten minutes, by way of breathing myself.

1835.  Willis, Pencillings, II. liv. 122. We dismounted here to breathe our horses.

  14.  To excite the respiratory organs of: hence † a. to exercise briskly; to accustom to by exercise (obs.). b. to put out of breath, exhaust, tire.

[1430–1525.  See BREATHED 1.]

1567.  Turberv., in Thynne’s Animadv., Introd. 143. You breath your foming steede Athwart the fields.

1598.  B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. v. 127. Ile send for one of these Fencers, and hee shall breath you.

1601.  Shaks., All’s Well, II. iii. 271. I thinke thou wast created for men to breath themselues vpon thee.

1611.  Heywood, Gold. Age, II. i. Wks. 1874, III. 32. Nor haue I yet bene to these pastimes breath’d.

1658.  Whole Duty Man, i. § 52. 11. He that expects to run a race will beforehand be often breathing himself.

1676.  F. Vernon, in Phil. Trans., II. 580. The Plains of Elis are … fit to breath Horses in.

1826.  J. F. Cooper, Mohicans (1829), II. xv. 232. The warriors who had breathed themselves so freely in the preceding struggle.

1847.  Tennyson, Princess, Prol. 113. He had breath’d the Proctor’s dogs.

1884.  Miss Braddon, Ishmael, II. 183. He was a little breathed when he stood before the door.

  15.  To give breath to (a wind instrument); to blow.

a. 1721.  Prior, Solomon, III. Wks. (1835), II. 178. They breathe the flute, or strike the vocal wire.

1762.  Judas Macc., III. 18. See the Godlike Youth advance, Breathe the Flutes, and lead the Dance.

1822.  [see BREATHED 4].

  16.  To breathe a vein: to give vent to it; to lance it so as to let blood. arch. or ? Obs.

1652.  French, Yorksh. Spa, x. 95. Have a vein breathed.

1655.  Culpepper, Riverius, I. xv. 53. If the Liver be hot … we must breath a Vein.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VIII. 120. They were forced to breath a vein to bring her to herself.

1756.  P. Browne, Jamaica, 25. Some raw youth, or ignorant assumer, that is hardly skilled enough to breath a vein, or dispense a dose of physic.

1836.  Marryat, Japhet, iv. 10. Permitting me to breathe a vein in his own arm.