breathe a word
Utter a syllable
To breathe a word is to say anything at all, almost always used in the negative: Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.
The phrase emphasizes secrecy—even the smallest utterance, as slight as a breath, must be suppressed.
She never breathed a word about what happened that night.
- mouthOral opening
- whisperSpeech without full voice
- hushAbsence of sound
- let something slipAccidentally reveal information
- voiceSound from throat
secret · conceal · break silence · speak · suppress · drop a hint · slip of the tongue · in confidence · behind closed doors · under wraps · disclose · utter · say · lips · hesitant · articulate · leak · betray
disclosure/secrecy
breathe a wordkeep mum
Remain silent intentionally
say nothing · hold one's tongue · stay quiet · bite one's tongue · keep quiet
breathe, word, breath, breaths, breathes, breathing, breathed, breather, breathless