inhale

[in-heyl] /ɪnˈheɪl/
verb (used with object), inhaled, inhaling.
1.
to breathe in; draw in by breathing:
to inhale the polluted air.
verb (used without object), inhaled, inhaling.
2.
to breathe in, especially the smoke of cigarettes, cigars, etc.:
Do you inhale when you smoke?
Origin
1715-25; in-2 + (ex)hale
Related forms
uninhaled, adjective
Examples from the web for inhale
  • It's a toss-up whether to spread it on thick tortilla chips or to leave it in the center of the table and simply inhale the aroma.
  • People catch the disease after they inhale infected particles of dried rodent dung and urine.
  • They will notice how air fills their lungs when they inhale and gets pushed out when they exhale.
  • Animals may inhale these toxic vapors, damaging their nervous system and organs.
  • Most of those victims are smokers, who inhale cancer-causing substances called carcinogens with every puff.
  • The canisters of air allow divers to inhale through a tube and exhale into the water.
  • The shock of the thing before me forced me to inhale deeply.
  • As usual, he can inhale enemies and either spit them out at other foes or swallow them to absorb their abilities.
  • Exhale as you contract the agonist muscle and inhale as you return to start position.
  • Pinch your nose shut, inhale a mouth full of air and close your mouth.
British Dictionary definitions for inhale

inhale

/ɪnˈheɪl/
verb
1.
to draw (breath) into the lungs; breathe in
Word Origin
C18: from in-² + Latin halāre to breathe
Word Origin and History for inhale
v.

1725, "to breathe in," back-formation from inhalation or else from Latin inhalare "breathe upon," from in- "upon" (see in- (2)) + halare "breathe." Related: Inhaled; inhaling. Current sense is because the word was taken as the opposite of exhale. Slang sense of "eat rapidly" is recorded from 1924. As a noun, by 1934. Related: Inhaled; inhaling.

inhale in Medicine

inhale in·hale (ĭn-hāl')
v. in·haled, in·hal·ing, in·hales

  1. To breathe in; inspire.

  2. To draw something such as smoke or a medicinal mist into the lungs by breathing; inspire.

Slang definitions & phrases for inhale

inhale

verb

To eat or drink, esp rapidly: I inhaled my lunch because I didn't have much time to eat (1924+)

Related Terms

french-inhale