breathe
UK: briːð | US: briːð
vi. to take air into and expel it from the lungs
vt. to inhale and exhale (air or a scent)
vt. to utter softly; to express (e.g., a secret)
The word "breathe" derives from the noun "breath" (Old English brǣþ, meaning "odor, vapor, exhalation"), combined with the verbal suffix "-e" (a common Old English infinitive ending). Over time, the noun evolved into a verb by adding this suffix, shifting from the concept of "air movement" to the action of "inhaling/exhaling." The spelling distinction ("breath" vs. "breathe") emerged in Middle English to differentiate noun and verb forms.
She closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply.
The doctor told him to breathe into the spirometer.
The forest was so quiet I could hear the leaves breathe in the wind.
Don’t breathe a word of this to anyone—it’s confidential.
The patient struggled to breathe after the strenuous exercise.