The idiom don’t hold your breath originated in America, and may be related to an idiom derived from Shakespeare: to wait with bated breath. The word bated is an abbreviation of the word abated, meaning to lessen in severity or amount, or to hold one’s breath. People often hold their breaths when stressed or excited.
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What does the phrase don’t hold your breath mean?
An expression used to mean one is not awaiting something, as in I’m hoping to hear if I got the job, but I’m not holding my breath. It often is put as an imperative, don’t hold your breath, meaning “don’t expect it, it’s not likely,” as in They may get married this summer, but don’t hold your breath.
What does the phrase hold your breath mean?
Be excited, anxious, or nervous. For example, The election was so close that I held my breath until the final results were in, or I’m holding my breath until every-one’s been heard from. This expression alludes to the interruption of normal breathing; the literal usage dating from the early 1700s.
What’s another way to say don’t hold your breath?
What is another word for don’t hold your breath?
| never | no |
|---|---|
| nope | nah |
| nay | negative |
| certainly not | definitely not |
| forget it | absolutely not |
What is the act of holding one’s breath called?
The hypoventilation technique consists of short breath holdings and can be performed in different types of exercise: running, cycling, swimming, rowing, skating, etc. Generally, there are two ways to carry out hypoventilation: at high lung volume or at low lung volume.
What does rocking the boat mean?
Disturb a stable situation, as in An easygoing manager, he won’t rock the boat unless it’s absolutely necessary. This idiom alludes to capsizing a small vessel, such as a canoe, by moving about in it too violently. [ Colloquial; early 1900s]
Can anyone not hold your breath?
Do not wish your lungs to be still, It may delay the cracks from spreading, But eventually they will.
What is the meaning of once in the blue moon?
something extremely rare in occurrence
Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something extremely rare in occurrence. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars.
What is the synonym of breath?
exhalation. nounthat which is exhaled. air. breath. emanation.
Why do babies pass out when they cry?
Your child doesn’t have these spells on purpose. It’s their body’s involuntary response to a sudden event. The reflexes change your child’s breathing pattern, heart rate, and blood pressure levels, which make your child faint.
Can a baby pass out from crying?
Breath-holding is when a baby or child stops breathing for up to 1 minute and may faint. It can happen when a child is frightened, upset, angry, or has a sudden shock or pain. It’s usually harmless but can be scary for parents, particularly when it happens for the first time.
Why do babies turn blue when crying?
The cyanotic spell is often a response to frustration, anger, fear, or pain. It usually occurs when the child is crying and becomes unable to draw a breath. Their skin turns bluish, especially around the lips, and they faint. They regain consciousness within a minute.
What does in the doghouse mean?
Definition of in the doghouse
: in a bad situation because someone is angry at one : in trouble He’s in the doghouse for forgetting his wife’s birthday.
What is the meaning of get your foot in the door?
Definition of get one’s foot in the door
: to make the first step toward a goal by gaining entry into an organization, a career, etc. He took a job as a secretary to get his foot in the door.
What is the meaning of sitting on the fence?
To remain neutral, to refuse to take sides in a dispute; often used in a derogatory way about someone who lacks the courage to decide: “The councilman is afraid he’ll lose votes if he takes sides on the zoning issue, but he can’t sit on the fence forever.”
two to three minutes
Navy SEALs can hold their breath underwater for two to three minutes or more. Breath-holding drills are typically used to condition a swimmer or diver and to build confidence when going through high-surf conditions at night, said Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEAL and best-selling author of the book “Among Heroes.”
Can Tom Cruise hold his breath for 6 minutes?
Cruise reportedly trained to hold his breath for six minutes during filming for a “Mission: Impossible” movie a few years ago. According to an interview published this week in The Guardian, Winslet talked more about her previously reported seven-minute, 14-second static breath-hold: “God, it’s just wonderful.
How long can a healthy person hold their breath?
In short, the average healthy person can hold their breath for 3-5 minutes. A person’s ability to hold their breath can be increased if the person exercises regularly, is a diver or professional athlete. Holding your breath can cause high blood pressure, brain damage, or even fainting.
What does like chalk and cheese mean?
When you say that two people are like ‘chalk and cheese’, you are suggesting that the two are very different from each other; they have nothing in common. The expression, which has the same meaning as ‘apples and oranges’, can be used with things as well. No one is really sure about the origin of this idiom.
What does it costs an arm and a leg mean?
to be too expensive
Definition of cost an arm and a leg
informal. : to be too expensive I want a new car that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
What does thru thick and thin mean?
Definition of through thick and thin
: through many difficult times over a long period She stood by me through thick and thin.