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breathing

noun

  1. process that moves air in and out of the lungs
L317366 on Wikidata ↗

adjective

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L335026 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹiːðɪŋ/ / /ˈbɹiðɪŋ/

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree Middle English breethder. Middle English brethen English breathe Proto-Germanic *-ungō Old English -ung Middle English -ynge English -ing English breathing From breathe + -ing.

  1. Having life; living; alive.

    Elantris is quite an exceptional read, a wonderfully rich world of living breathing characters, great plot, and some very original ideas.

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Middle English breethder. Middle English brethen English breathe Proto-Germanic *-ungō Old English -ung Middle English -ynge English -ing English breathing From breathe + -ing.

  1. verbal noun of breathe: (uncountable) The act of respiration; (countable) a single instance of this.

    […] their breathings, cryings, and excretings would have been damaged […]

  2. A diacritical mark indicating aspiration or lack thereof.
  3. Time to recover one's breath; hence, a delay, a spell of time.

    DON PEDRO. Count Claudio, when mean you to go to church? / CLAUDIO. To-morrow, my lord. Time goes on crutches till love have all his rites. / LEONATO. Not till Monday, my dear son, which is hence a just seven-night; and a time too brief too, to have all things answer my mind. / DON PEDRO. Come, you shake the head at so long a breathing; but, I warrant thee, Claudio, the time shall not go dully by us.

  4. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration.

    the breathings of the Holy Spirit

  5. Aspiration; secret prayer.

    Let us then begin Heaven here, in the Frame and Temper of our Minds, in our heavenly Affections and Converſation; in a due Prepation for, and in earneſt Deſires and Breathings after that bleſſed State vvhich vve firmly believe and aſſuredly hope to be one day poſſeſſed of: […]

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree Middle English breethder. Middle English brethen English breathe Proto-Germanic *-ungō Old English -ung Middle English -ynge English -ing English breathing From breathe + -ing.

  1. present participle and gerund of breathe