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Breath vs Breathing - What's the difference?

breath | breathing |

As nouns the difference between breath and breathing

is that breath is the act or process of breathing while breathing is the act of respiration; a single instance of this.

As a verb breathing is

present participle of lang=en.

breath

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Noun

  • (lb) The act or process of breathing.
  • :
  • :
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • (lb) A single act of breathing in or out.
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  • *
  • *:Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes.She put back a truant curl from her forehead where it had sought egress to the world, and looked him full in the face now, drawing a deep breath which caused the round of her bosom to lift the lace at her throat.
  • *'>citation
  • *:She knew from avalanche safety courses that outstretched hands might puncture the ice surface and alert rescuers. She knew that if victims ended up buried under the snow, cupped hands in front of the face could provide a small pocket of air for the mouth and nose. Without it, the first breaths could create a suffocating ice mask.
  • (lb) Air expelled from the lungs.
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  • (lb) A rest or pause.
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  • A small amount of something, such as wind, or common sense.
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  • :
  • (lb) Fragrance; exhalation; odor; perfume.
  • :(Tennyson)
  • *(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
  • *:the breath of flowers
  • (lb) Gentle exercise, causing a quicker respiration.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:an after dinner's breath

    • Derived terms

    * bad breath * breather * breathless * breath of fresh air * breathtaking * breathy * draw breath * draw one's last breath * fresh breath * get one's breath back * hold one's breath * out of breath * take one's breath away * under one's breath * waste breath

    Related terms

    * breathe * breather

    See also

    * exhalation * inhalation * respiration

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * *

    breathing

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of respiration; a single instance of this.
  • A diacritical mark indicating aspiration or lack thereof.
  • (archaic) Time to recover one's breath; hence, a delay, a spell of time.
  • * 1599 ,
    • 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.
  • Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration.
    • the breathings of the Holy Spirit
  • Aspiration; secret prayer.
  • * Tillotson
    • earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state