breathe life into


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Related to breathe life into: settle in, fill the void

breathe (new) life into (someone or something)

1. Literally, to revive someone who is not breathing, as by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation The lifeguard was able to pull the drowning boy from the pool and breathe life into him, thank goodness.
2. By extension, to rejuvenate, revitalize, or reinvigorate someone or something that has become dull, stale, or stuck in a rut. The new CEO's creative approach really breathed new life into that failing company. The hiatus has clearly breathed life into the writer, as her newest novel is the most exciting and engaging of her whole career.
See also: breathe, life
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

breathe life into

Also, breathe new life into. Revive someone or something. For example, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) shows one how to breathe life into a drowning victim , or Her appointment breathed new life into the firm. This term is used both literally, for reviving a person who has stopped breathing temporarily, and figuratively, for giving new impetus to or renewing some project. Also see breath of fresh air.
See also: breathe, life
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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If the goal of Essence Books Editor Patrik Henry Bass is to breathe life into his recounting of the 1963 March on Washington, one of the most significant events of the Civil Rights Movement, he definitely achieves his mission by using previously unavailable interviews, reportage, photos and behind-the-scenes commentary in his new book, Like a Mighty Stream: The March on Washington August 28, 1963.
Like a Mighty Stream: the March on Washington August 28, 1963
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