Hold your breath means to stop breathing for a moment: underwater, at the doctor's or out of fear. Figuratively, it means waiting anxiously to see how something will turn out.
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hold your/my/his breath (for + time); hold your breath as/while + event; I'm not holding my breath
- Can you hold your breath underwater for a whole minute?
- The whole class held their breath as the teacher read out the results.
- He says he'll pay me back next week, but I'm not holding my breath.
What changed
First versionThe doctor asked me to hold the breath for ten seconds.
RevisionThe doctor asked me to hold my breath for ten seconds.
With actions of your own body like this, English uses a possessive word: hold your breath, hold my breath, just as you raise your hand. The article the in its place sounds unnatural, so the was changed to my.
In the negative, the expression becomes ironic. Don't hold your breath or I'm not holding my breath means don't expect it soon, it may never happen: The landlord says he'll fix the heating this week, but don't hold your breath.
Your turn
Put your face in the water and ___ for five seconds, then lift your head.
Show the answer
hold your breath — Your face is in the water for five seconds, so you have to stop breathing: hold your breath. Catch your breath means getting your breath back after running or climbing stairs, and you can't do that underwater.
Describe a moment when you waited anxiously for an important result. Say what you were waiting for and how it turned out.
I held my breath while the doctor looked at my X-ray, and luckily my arm wasn't broken.
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