The Collaborative International Dictionary
Breathing \Breath"ing\, n.
-
Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.
Subject to a difficulty of breathing.
--Melmoth. Air in gentle motion.
Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit.
Aspiration; secret prayer. ``Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state.''
--Tillotson.-
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.
--Shak. -
Utterance; communication or publicity by words.
I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose.
--Shak. Breathing place; vent.
--Dryden.-
Stop; pause; delay.
You shake the head at so long a breathing.
--Shak. 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.
-
(Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below. Breathing place.
A pause. ``That c[ae]sura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse.''
--Sir P. Sidney.-
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).
WordNet
n. a short respite [syn: breath, breather, breathing space, breathing spell, breathing time]