breathe
gb/bɹˈið/ us/bɹˈið/
A1
English
~ 2500
lélegzik, szusszan egyet, pihen egyet, szellőzik, átereszti a levegőt, suttog, lehel, áraszt, sugároz
VERB
A1
1
lélegzik
A2
Usage pattern:
to breathe [air/smoke]
After running up the hill, she had to stop to breathe.
Miután felfutott a dombra, meg kellett állnia, hogy levegőt vegyen.
It was so smoky that he could barely breathe.
Olyan füst volt, hogy alig kapott levegőt.
Take a moment to breathe deeply and relax.
The doctor listened to him breathe through a stethoscope.
Learner examples
I breathe through my nose.
Az orromon át lélegzem.
She breathes slowly when she sleeps.
Lassan lélegzik, amikor alszik.
We need air to breathe.
He can't breathe in the small room.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'breathe' (verb) with 'breath' (noun). 'Breathe' is an action; 'breath' is the air taken in or out.
Meaning
Take air in and out
Collocations
breathe deeply
|breathe heavily
|breathe fresh air
|breathe through the nose
Synonyms
inhale (Focuses specifically on taking air in, not the full breathing cycle.)
|
respire (More technical or scientific term for breathing.)
Antonyms
suffocate (Means to be unable to breathe, leading to danger or death.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|science
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To take air into your body through your nose or mouth and let it out again.
To take air into the lungs and send it out, especially as part of the process of living.
VERB
B1
2
pihen egyet
A2
Usage pattern:
to breathe for [a moment/minute]
Let’s sit down and breathe for a minute before we go on.
Üljünk le egy percre, és szusszanjunk egyet, mielőtt továbbmegyünk.
She barely had time to breathe between meetings.
Az értekezletek között alig volt ideje szusszanni.
After the speech, he finally breathed and smiled.
Learner examples
I need to breathe after running.
Futás után szusszannom kell egyet.
She did not have time to breathe today.
Ma nem volt ideje szusszanni.
We stopped to breathe before walking again.
Meaning
Pause to relax or recover
Collocations
breathe for a moment
|hardly breathe
|barely breathe
Synonyms
rest (More general; can be longer and not necessarily related to breathing.)
Antonyms
strain (To continue physical or mental effort without rest.)
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|health
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To stop for a short time to rest or feel better after work or stress.
To stop for a short time to rest, relax, or recover from effort or stress.
VERB
B2
3
szellőzik
B1
Usage pattern:
[material] breathes well
Cotton clothing breathes better than polyester.
A pamutruhák jobban szellőznek, mint a poliészterből készültek.
This tent fabric breathes, keeping you cool inside.
Ez a sátoranyag átereszti a levegőt, így bent hűvösebb marad.
Leather shoes don't breathe as much as canvas ones.
Learner examples
My shirt breathes in hot weather.
Az ingem meleg időben jól szellőzik.
This cloth does not breathe well.
Ez a szövet nem ereszti át jól a levegőt.
The tent breathes so we are not too hot.
Meaning
Let air pass through
Collocations
fabric breathes
|material breathes well
Synonyms
ventilate (Often used for buildings or rooms; more formal/technical.)
Antonyms
seal (To close completely so that air cannot pass through.)
Themes
science
|daily life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
If something breathes, air can move in and out of it.
To allow air to move in and out, as with certain materials or spaces.
VERB
B2
4
Usage pattern:
to breathe [words]
She breathed his name into the phone.
A telefonba suttogta a nevét.
'Don't go,' he breathed softly.
– Ne menj el – suttogta halkan.
He breathed a few words before leaving.
Learner examples
She breathed his name.
A nevét suttogta.
He breathed, 'I am here.'
– Itt vagyok – suttogta.
The girl breathed the words quietly.
Meaning
Speak very quietly
Collocations
breathe a word
|breathe softly
Synonyms
whisper (Similar but may imply secrecy or intimacy more strongly.)
Antonyms
shout (To speak very loudly, opposite of speaking softly.)
Themes
communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To speak very quietly so that it is almost like a whisper.
To say something very softly, often in a whisper-like way.
VERB
C1
5
Usage pattern:
to breathe [quality]
The room breathed peace and comfort.
A szoba nyugalmat és otthonosságot árasztott.
Her speech breathed hope into the audience.
Beszéde reményt sugárzott a hallgatóság felé.
The design breathes elegance and simplicity.
Learner examples
The house breathes warmth.
A ház melegséget áraszt.
His words breathe hope.
Szavai reményt sugároznak.
This place breathes beauty.
Meaning
Show strong quality or feeling
Collocations
breathe confidence
|breathe life into
Synonyms
exude (Stronger connotation of deliberately showing a quality.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Definition
To seem full of a feeling or quality.
To seem full of a particular quality or feeling, as if it is strongly present in something.
Grammar
Dictionary form
breathe
IPA
GB/bɹˈið/
US/bɹˈið/
Syllables & stress
breathe (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (breathe)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: breathe
- 3rd Person Singular: breathes
- Present Participle: breathing
- Past: breathed
Word family
Forms
breathes
verb
breathing
verb
breathed
verb
Core family
breath
noun A2
Related words
breathable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
breathless
adjective B1
unbreathable
adjective
Advanced or less common
breathlessness
noun
breathlessly
adverb
Expressions
breathe a sigh of relief
1/bɹˈið ə sˈaɪ əv ɹɪlˈif/
idiom
Exhale after stress ends
To let out a long breath when you feel safe again after being worried or afraid.
Examples
- They all breathed a sigh of relief when the missing child was found.
- I breathed a sigh of relief after hearing I passed the exam.
breathe deeply
1/bɹˈið dˈipli/
fixed phrase
Take slow, full breaths
To take slow, long breaths of air into your lungs and let them out fully.
Examples
- Breathe deeply to calm yourself before the test.
- She closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the fresh mountain air.
breathe new life into [something]
1/bɹˈið njˈu lˈaɪf ˈɪntu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
Revitalize with energy or ideas
To make something more lively, interesting, or successful again by giving it energy or new ideas.
Examples
- The manager hopes the new project will breathe new life into the company.
- A fresh coat of paint breathed new life into the old house.
don't breathe a word (to someone)
1/dˈoʊnt bɹˈið ə wˈɚd tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
Keep information secret
To not tell anyone about something that is secret.
Examples
- Don't breathe a word about the surprise party.
- She promised not to breathe a word of what she had seen.
take your breath away
1/tˈeɪk jˈʊɹ bɹˈɛθ əwˈeɪ/
idiom
Cause amazement or shock
To greatly surprise or impress someone so much that they feel like they stop breathing for a moment.
Examples
- The view from the mountain will take your breath away.
- Her beauty took my breath away.