breathe (v.)

1.come off due to an explosion or other strong force

2.draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs"I can breathe better when the air is clean" "The patient is respiring"

3.expel (gases or odors)

4.reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked"This rare Bordeaux must be allowed to breathe for at least 2 hours"

5.take a short break from one's activities in order to relax

6.manifest or evince"She breathes the Christian spirit"

7.utter or tell"not breathe a word"

8.impart as if by breathing"He breathed new life into the old house"

9.be alive"Every creature that breathes"

10.allow the passage of air through"Our new synthetic fabric breathes and is perfect for summer wear"

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"

breathing (n.)

1.the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

Respiration (descriptor)

1.The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration (= OXYGEN CONSUMPTION) or cell respiration (= CELL RESPIRATION).