breathe down someone's neck

breathe

B b

Definitions of breathe down someone's neck words

noun breathe down someone's neck to stay close to someone, esp to oversee what they are doing 3
verb without object breathe down someone's neck to take air, oxygen, etc., into the lungs and expel it; inhale and exhale; respire. 1
verb without object breathe down someone's neck (in speech) to control the outgoing breath in producing voice and speech sounds. 1
verb without object breathe down someone's neck to pause, as for breath; take rest: How about giving me a chance to breathe? 1
verb without object breathe down someone's neck to move gently or blow lightly, as air. 1
verb without object breathe down someone's neck to live; exist: Hardly a man breathes who has not known great sorrow. 1

before 1250

One of the 11% oldest English words

1250-1300; Middle English brethen, derivative of breath

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

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