- n. 呼吸，氣息；一口氣，（呼吸的）一次；瞬間，瞬息；微風；跡象；無聲音，氣音
詞組搭配
before one can (或 has time to) draw breath
before one can do anything, such is the speed of events
頃刻之間，彈指之間
a breath of fresh air
a small amount of or a brief time in the fresh air
少量的新鮮空氣，短暫的時間內呼吸到的新鮮空氣
the breath of life
a thing that someone needs or depends on
生命中不可缺少的東西
politics has been the breath of life to her for 50 years.
這五十年以來，政治一直是她的生命。
catch one's breath
cease breathing momentarily in surprise or fear
（因驚訝或害怕而）屏息
rest after exercise to restore normal breathing
松一口氣，歇一口氣
don't hold your breath
(informal)used to indicate that something is unlikely to happen
(非正式)（用于表示某事不會發生）別憋著呼吸，別期望太高
Next thing you know I'll be knitting baby clothes. But don't hold your breath!.
還要告訴你一件事，我要編織娃娃穿的衣服了。不過不要抱太高期望。
draw breath
breathe in
吸氣
get one's breath back
begin to breathe normally again after exercise or exertion
喘過氣來，恢復正常呼吸
hold one's breath
cease breathing temporarily
屏氣
in the — breath
used to refer to the place of a statement in a sequence of statements, typically one containing a contradiction or inconsistency
在…時
she admitted it but said in the same breath that it was of no consequence.
她承認了這件事同時卻又說這并不重要。
the (或 one's) last breath
the last moment of one's life (often used hyperbolically); death
臨終，瀕死；死
she would fight to the last breath to preserve her good name.
為保護自己的清譽，她將斗爭到底。
take breath
pause to recover free and easy breathing
歇口氣，歇會兒透口氣
take someone's breath away
astonish or inspire someone with awed respect or delight
使某人激動（或驚羨）得透不過氣來
under (或 below) one's breath
in a very quiet voice; almost inaudibly
壓低嗓子，低聲地
he swore violently under his breath.
他壓低嗓門惡罵。
waste one's breath
talk or give advice without effect
徒費唇舌，白說
I've far better things to do than waste my breath arguing.
我不會徒費唇舌辯論的，我還有更有意義的事情要做呢。