hold one's breath
English
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hold one's breath
verb holds one's breath · holding one's breath · held one's breath
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see hold, one's, breath. To keep air in one's lungs, pausing noticeably before exhaling after previously inhaling.
- To wait expectantly for something to happen soon. He might pay back the money he borrowed without you reminding him, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Translations
Every language
verb to keep air in one's lungs, pausing noticeably before exhaling after previously inhaling
| Español | aguantar la respiración, contener el aliento |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 息を殺す iki o korosu, 息を詰める iki o tsumeru |
| 中文 | 屏息 bǐngxī, 屏氣 /屏气 bǐngqì, 屏住呼吸 bǐnɡzhù hūxī |
| हिन्दी | अपनी साँस रोकना apnī sā̃s roknā |
| Português | prender a respiração, suster a respiração |
| Français | retenir son souffle |
| Deutsch | den Atem anhalten |
| Italiano | trattenere il fiato |
| Ελληνικά | κρατάω την ανάσα μου kratáo tin anása mou |
| Русский | затаи́ть дыха́ние zataítʹ dyxánije |
| Tiếng Việt | nín thở |
verb to wait expectantly for something to happen soon
| Português | esperar sentado |
|---|---|
| Français | se faire des illusions, se faire des idées, compter sur quelque chose |
| Deutsch | sich große Hoffnungen machen |
| Italiano | restare col fiato sospeso, non sperarci, non farsi illusioni |
| Ελληνικά | περιμένω πώς και πώς periméno pós kai pós |
| Tiếng Việt | nín thở |
Talk about this word "hold one's breath." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hold%20one's%20breath. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. hold one's breath. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hold%20one's%20breath "hold one's breath." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hold%20one's%20breath.Cite this
@misc{hold_one_s_breath_2026,
title = {hold one's breath},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hold%20one's%20breath},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
