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What is the difference between excrete and breathe?

excrete | breathe |

As verbs the difference between excrete and breathe

is that excrete is (of an organism) to discharge from the system while breathe is to repeatedly draw air into, and expel it from, the lungs in order to extract oxygen from it and excrete waste products.

excrete

English

Verb

(excret)
  • (of an organism) to discharge from the system.
  • Derived terms

    * excrement * excreta * excretion * excretory

    breathe

    English

    Verb

  • To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
  • To take in needed gases and expel waste gases in a similar way.
  • :Fish have gills so they can breathe underwater.
  • To use (a gas) to sustain life.
  • :While life as we know it depends on oxygen, scientists have speculated that alien life forms might breathe chlorine or methane.
  • Figuratively, to live.
  • :I will not allow it, as long as I still breathe .
  • *(rfdate) Shakespeare
  • *:I am in health, I breathe .
  • *(rfdate) Sir Walter Scott
  • *:Breathes there a man with soul so dead?
  • To draw something into the lungs.
  • :Try not to breathe too much smoke.
  • To expel air from the lungs, exhale.
  • :If you breathe on a mirror, it will fog up.
  • To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to emanate; to blow gently.
  • :The wind breathes through the trees.
  • *(rfdate) Shakespeare
  • *:The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
  • *(rfdate) Byron
  • *:There breathes a living fragrance from the shore.
  • To give an impression of, to exude.
  • :The decor positively breathes classical elegance.
  • To whisper quietly.
  • :He breathed the words into her ear, but she understood them all.
  • To exchange gases with the environment.
  • :Garments made of certain new materials breathe well and keep the skin relatively dry during exercise.
  • To rest; to stop and catch one's breath.
  • *:
  • *:Thenne they lasshed to gyder many sad strokes / & tracyd and trauercyd now bakward / now sydelyng hurtlyng to gyders lyke two bores / & that same tyme they felle both grouelyng to the erthe / Thus they fought styll withoute ony reposynge two houres and neuer brethed
  • *(rfdate) Shakespeare
  • *:Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again!
  • To stop, to give (a horse) an opportunity to catch its breath.
  • :At higher altitudes you need to breathe your horse more often.
  • Synonyms

    * (to draw air in and out) see

    Derived terms

    * *