catching breath
Pausing to recover
Catching breath describes the act of pausing to restore normal breathing after exertion or surprise.
Someone who is out of breath stops to catch it: Give me a minute to catch my breath.
The phrase extends to any brief pause for recovery or regrouping: Let's catch our breath before the next meeting.
Breath-catching can also describe something so striking it causes a sharp intake of air: a breath-catching view of the valley.
- gaspSudden sharp breath
- exhaleExpel breath outward
- inhaleDraw air in
- wheezeWhistling labored breath
- sighAudible emotional breath
lungs · recovering · pause · quick break · rest · air · oxygen · heart pounding · fight or flight · heaving · gulping · chest · exertion · relief · stillness · moment · composure · respite
- shock reactionsgasp, wide eyes, jaw drop, shocked face, open mouth
catching breathhyperventilating
Breathing abnormally fast
panting · winded · out of breath · gasping for air · at rest
catching breathsprinting
Maximum-speed locomotion on foot
straining · going all out · at full tilt · in the thick of it
catch, catches, caught, catcher, catchers, catchy, catchable, breath, breaths