take breath

English

Verb

take breath (third-person singular simple present takes breath, present participle taking breath, simple past took breath, past participle taken breath)

1. (archaic) To take a breath.
   • 1907, Ronald M. Burrows, The Discoveries In Crete, page vii:

     It is this help that the present book attempts to give, and the moment of its appearance, during a partial lull of excavation, is an opportune one. There is a chance to take breath and gather up the threads, with the possibility that the next month's spade-work will not put us out of date.