catch (one's) breath
1. To resume or try to resume breathing normally after a physically taxing activity that results in heavy breathing. Can we stop for a minute? I need to catch my breath—I can't run as fast as you guys! Make sure you give yourself a chance to catch your breath during the marathon. That exercise class was way too fast-paced—I could hardly catch my breath at any point!
2. To stop breathing momentarily as a result of fear or surprise. I caught my breath when I saw the gruesome injuries Adam had sustained in the accident. We were annoyed about the traffic jam until we saw the catastrophic car accident causing it. That made us catch our breath all right. I turned around and caught my breath when I saw my boyfriend kneeling with an engagement ring in his hand.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
catch one's breath
Fig. to struggle for normal breathing after strenuous activity. The jogger stopped to catch her breath. It took Jimmy a minute to catch his breath after being punched in the stomach.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
catch (one's) breath
To rest so as to be able to continue an activity.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.