Breath″ing (�), n. 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.
Shak.
6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words.
I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose.
Shak.
7. Breathing place; vent. Dryden.
8. Stop; pause; delay.
You shake the head at so long a breathing.
Shak.
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. (Gr. Gram.) A mark to indicate aspiration or its absence. See Rough breathing, Smooth breathing, below.
Breathing place. (a) A pause. “That cæsura, 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) (ʽ). See 2d Asper, n. — Smooth breathing (spiritus lenis), a mark (') indicating the absence of the sound of h, as in ιἔναι (ienai).