hold breath
Pause your breathing
To hold one's breath is to stop breathing temporarily, either voluntarily or from tension.
Swimmers hold their breath underwater.
In suspense, people hold their breath awaiting an outcome: The whole country held its breath as votes were counted.
The sarcastic Don't hold your breath means something is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
- suffocateKill by blocking air
- underwaterBelow the surface
- divingEntering water deliberately
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
- anticipationState of awaiting something
lungs · air · oxygen · submerge · waiting · tense · count to ten · plunge · surface · gulp · chest · tight · seconds · swimming · drown · emerge · blue · stillness
hold breathbreathe
Exchange air through lungs
exhale · inhale · respire · breathe freely · take a breath
hold breathhyperventilate
Breathe excessively fast
pant · gasp · huff and puff · wheeze
hold breathsigh of relief
Exhale expressing released tension
breathe easy · breathe a sigh of relief · relax · let go · release tension
hold, breath, holds, held, holding, holder, holders, holdout, holdover