1 C1 formal
to send your breath gently onto something
"She breathed upon the cold window and drew a heart in the mist."
inseparable
breathe upon
C1 formal inseparable transitive
to breathe gently on something; sometimes used figuratively in literary English
In plain English
to let your breath go softly onto something
What does "breathe upon" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic formal
to affect, inspire, or give life to something in a literary sense
"The poet writes as if spring itself had breathed upon the city."
inseparable
Usage tip
Rare and literary or old-fashioned. Can be literal or figurative, as in influence or inspire.
Words that pair with "breathe upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
glass surface flame soul spirit life
How to conjugate "breathe upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
breathe upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
breathes upon
he/she/it
Past simple
breathed upon
yesterday
Past participle
breathed upon
have + pp
-ing form
breathing upon
continuous
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