A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

take air • take the air
take air —
1
. go out for a walk; go out of doors: Guests went
out to garden, later also brothers Werners went outside to take
air. 2. (Ski jumping ) launch oneself into the air when skiing
down a steep slope: I watch the guys take air and I say, “All
right, I’m going to try it.” I like the adrenaline rush. 3. (of
rumors, etc.) become known; be made public (also: take wind):
The FSB officers’ actions took air not only in Russia, but also
in other countries.
take the air —
1
. = take air 
1
: A few people were wandering
among Ma’s flower-beds, taking the air. 2. (also: take to the
air) rise into the air; start flying: The three got into the plane,
waved adieu to friends on the field, and with a roar the plane
took the air. 3. (sl.) is used to tell a person to go away and
stop being annoying: I was very patient with the man, but
when he became abusive I told him to take the air. 4. (euph.)
leave to use the toilet: Danny said he needed to take the air,
a gentlemanly statement of his desire to use the outhouse. 5.
assume the manner of a person: “Come you will be our hon-
ored guests at our banquet,” Katya said again taking the air
of a ruler.
See also: give oneself airs / give someone the air.
– 313 –
take air

---

take breath • take in breath
take breath —(also: take a breath) 
1
. pause to rest after exer-
tion (to allow one’s breathing to return to normal): Halfway
up the mountain we stopped to take breath. 2. take a break
from one’s normal routine (in order to do smth. different):
After the frenetic activity of the last four years, we need to
take breath and think. We need to reflect on where we want
to go and how to get there.
take in breath —take air into the lungs; breathe in: When
we talk, we don’t stop to take in breath before saying a line,
similarly, breath should be controlled when singing.