to heave

Examples

• All

• Jack pauses a moment, as if letting these facts settle in, then heaves a huge sigh and sags miserably.

  Fiction book (1993)

• "Caidy!" Tamborel sat bolt upright in his bed, his chest heaving, his face slick with sweat.

  Fiction book (1993)

• "No, no." He looked around with a satisfied expression and heaved out a long breath.

  Fiction book (1991)

• My bosom's heaving out of my corset.

  Sonny (2002)

• I sat back then, chest heaving, as my pulse rate slowed and my vision normalized.

  Fiction book (1991)

• The blade vanished as he stepped clear, and he heaved a sigh of relief.

  Fiction book (1992)

• At the lip of the flat, Djimon and Jurgon came to a halt, their chests heaving with exertion.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Nadine snatched her leg away and heaved a huge, shoulder-rolling, neck-twisting sigh.

  Fiction book (1994)

• After climbing the steep hill, he heaved a sigh of exhaustion.

• As the film ended, the audience heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Synonyms

S

to sigh

vsto heave

131 1.0

To breathe out slowly so others can hear because you feel tired, sad, or relieved

is broader, including other exerted sounds or heavy breaths

L

to let out

vsto heave

50 3.1

Make a sound like a laugh, cry, or sigh

is more specific, referring mainly to single breathy utterances rather than all exertion

L

to let out a sigh

vsto heave

3 2.3

To breathe out slowly because you feel relieved, tired, or disappointed

is broader, covering other effortful breaths or sounds as well

Antonyms

S

to suppress

88 5.8

To hold back feelings or reactions

Idioms

G

to give the heave-ho

• Informal

4 8.5

To tell someone to leave their job or to stop using something

Phrasal Verbs

H

to heave up

• Informal

3 4.5

To lift something heavy with a lot of effort

Compounds

F

frost heave

• UK

8.0

Soil or road that rises when water in the ground freezes and expands

How Loud

to groan

195 1.6

to heave

19 4.3

gasp

312 1.8

to sigh

80 1.9

Surface Forms

Etymology