Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Breathing
Breath′ing
,Noun.
1.
Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.
Subject to a difficulty of
breathing
. Melmoth.
2.
Air in gentle motion.
3.
Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration;
as, the
. breathings
of the Spirit4.
Aspiration; secret prayer.
“Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state.” Tillotson.
5.
Exercising; promotion of respiration.
Here is a lady that wants
And I have heard, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip.
breathing
too;And I have heard, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip.
Shakespeare
6.
Utterance; communication or publicity by words.
I am sorry to give
breathing
to my purpose. Shakespeare
7.
Breathing place; vent.
Dryden.
8.
Stop; pause; delay.
You shake the head at so long a
breathing
. Shakespeare
9.
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.
10.
(Gr. Gram.)
A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See
Rough breathing
, Smooth breathing
, below. Breathing place
. (a)
A pause.
“That cæsura, or breathing place, in the midst of the verse.” Sir P. Sidney.
(b)
A vent.
– Breathing time
, pause; relaxation.
Bp. Hall.
– Breathing while
, time sufficient for drawing breath; a short time.
Shak.
– Rough breathing
(spiritus asper
) (ʽ). See 2d
– Asper
, Noun.
Smooth breathing
(spiritus lenis
), a mark (’) indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in
ἰέναι
(ienai).Webster 1828 Edition
Breathing
BRE'ATHING
,ppr.
1.
Exhibiting to the life; as breathing paint.BRE'ATHING
,Noun.
1.
Aspiration; secret prayer.2.
Breathing-place; vent.3.
Accent; aspiration.BRE'ATHING
-PLACE,Noun.
1.
A vent.