Breathing \Breath"ing\, n.

1. Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.

Subject to a difficulty of breathing. --Melmoth.

2. Air in gentle motion.

3. Any gentle influence or operation; inspiration; as, the breathings of the Spirit.

4. Aspiration; secret prayer. ``Earnest desires and breathings after that blessed state.'' --Tillotson.

5. Exercising; promotion of respiration.

Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip. --Shak.

6. Utterance; communication or publicity by words.

I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. --Shak.

7. Breathing place; vent. --Dryden.

8. Stop; pause; delay.

You shake the head at so long a breathing. --Shak.

9. Also, in a wider sense, the sound caused by the friction of the outgoing breath in the throat, mouth, etc., when the glottis is wide open; aspiration; the sound expressed by the letter h.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Breathe \Breathe\ (br[=e][th]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Breathed; p. pr. & vb. n. Breathing.]

[From Breath.]

1. To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live. ``I am in health, I breathe.'' --Shak.

Breathes there a man with soul so dead? --Sir W. Scott.

2. To take breath; to rest from action.

Well! breathe awhile, and then to it again! --Shak.

3. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently.

The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. --Shak.

There breathes a living fragrance from the shore. --Byron.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)