breathlessadj/ˈbɹɛθləs/

• 1

  Having difficulty breathing; gasping.

  • In thoughtless and breathless fear I rushed forward to avoid this host of demons, but while flying thus still more frightful and distorted shapes appeared, and I fancied I felt their hands clutching me.
• 2

  That makes one hold one's breath (with excitement etc.).

  • By that stage Sevilla were down to 10 men and Jorge Sampaoli, their manager, had been sent to the stands as a breathless encounter started to spiral out of control.
  • The plane buzzed on at a breathless speed. Bob had been in a plane before, and he had no fear. Indeed, but for the strange circumstances, he would have enjoyed that breathless rush through space.
• 3

  Not breathing; dead or apparently so.

• 4

  Having no wind; still, calm or airless.

• 5

  Having a somewhat hysterical tone, using over-emotive language.

  • In breathless prose that risks making Dr Pachauri, who will be 70 this year, a laughing stock among the serious, high-minded scientists,
  • The more some of us learn, the harder it gets to take each breathless headline seriously.