Words / B1

BREETH/briːð/

Breathe is the verb: take air in and out — breathe in / out; breathe deeply. Breath is the noun; learners mix the spelling (verb = extra e). Breathe a sigh of relief is a set phrase; in smoke or under water it is hard to breathe. Breathy describes a voice quality, not the verb.

Meaning

To take air into your lungs and send it out again.

Examples

• “It is hard to breathe in heavy smoke.”
• “Try to breathe slowly if you feel nervous.”
• “Open a window so we can breathe.”

Good to know

breathe in / out. Noun: breath. Spelling trap: verb = breathe. Phrase: breathe a sigh of relief.

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