'Breathing' definitions:

Definition of 'breathing'

(from WordNet)
adjective
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" [syn: breathing, eupneic, eupnoeic] [ant: breathless, dyspneal, dyspneic, dyspnoeal, dyspnoeic]
noun
The bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation [syn: breathing, external respiration, respiration, ventilation]

Definition of 'Breathing'

From: GCIDE
  • Breathe \Breathe\ (br[=e][th]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Breathed (br[=e][th]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Breathing.] [From Breath.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. "I am in health, I breathe." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! --Sir W. Scott [The Lay of the Last Minstrel]. [1913 Webster +PJC]
  • 2. To take breath; to rest from action. [1913 Webster]
  • Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently. [1913 Webster]
  • The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • There breathes a living fragrance from the shore. --Byron. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Breathing'

From: GCIDE
  • Breathing \Breath"ing\, n.
  • 1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air. [1913 Webster]
  • Subject to a difficulty of breathing. --Melmoth. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Air in gentle motion. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Aspiration; secret prayer. "Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state." --Tillotson. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. Exercising; promotion of respiration. [1913 Webster]
  • Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words. [1913 Webster]
  • I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. Breathing place; vent. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. Stop; pause; delay. [1913 Webster]
  • You shake the head at so long a breathing. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below. [1913 Webster]
  • Breathing place. (a) A pause. "That c[ae]sura, 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) ([spasp]). See 2d Asper, n.
  • Smooth breathing (spiritus lenis), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in 'ie`nai (ienai). [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster]