Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Breathing

Breathing ({not transcribed}) , noun

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