breathe

The story

1. Middle English · derived frombreth“breath”
2. Middle English · inherited frombrethen“to breathe, blow, exhale, odour”
3. English todaybreathe

From Middle English brethen (“to breathe, blow, exhale, odour”), derived from Middle English breth (“breath”). Eclipsed Middle English ethien and orðiæn, from Old English ēþian and orþian (“to breathe”); as well as Middle English anden, onden, from Old Norse anda (“to breathe”). More at breath.