TAKE A BREATH

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does take a breath mean? 

• TAKE A BREATH (verb)
  The verb TAKE A BREATH has 1 sense:

1. draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

  Familiarity information: TAKE A BREATH used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TAKE A BREATH (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

breathe; respire; suspire; take a breath

Context example:

The patient is respiring

"Take a breath" entails doing...:

breathe out; exhale; expire (expel air)

breathe in; inhale; inspire (draw in (air))

Verb group:

respire (undergo the biomedical and metabolic processes of respiration by taking up oxygen and producing carbon monoxide)

respire (breathe easily again, as after exertion or anxiety)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "take a breath"):

respire (breathe easily again, as after exertion or anxiety)

choke (breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion)

hyperventilate (breathe excessively hard and fast)

hiccough; hiccup (breathe spasmodically, and make a sound)

sigh; suspire (heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily)

breathe out; exhale; expire (expel air)

breathe in; inhale; inspire (draw in (air))

wheeze (breathe with difficulty)

yawn (utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired)

saw logs; saw wood; snore (breathe noisily during one's sleep)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something