sigh1 verbsigh2 noun
sighsigh1 /saɪ/ ●●○ verb [intransitive] 
WORD ORIGINsigh1
Origin:
Old English sicanVERB TABLE
sigh
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | sigh |
| he, she, it | sighs | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | sighed |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have sighed |
| he, she, it | has sighed | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had sighed |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will sigh |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have sighed |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am sighing |
| he, she, it | is sighing | |
| you, we, they | are sighing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was sighing |
| you, we, they | were sighing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been sighing |
| he, she, it | has been sighing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been sighing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be sighing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been sighing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "I know," she sighed.
- "That's life, I suppose,'' she sighed.
- Sighing wearily, she began her routine of getting ready for bed.
- Frank sighed deeply and stared out of the window.
- A tiny echo sighed back at him.
- Eventually he sighed again, picked up his bag and went on up the steps into his house.
- He sighed with a mixture of delight and despair.
- Luce read it through twice, and sighed.
- She sighed crossly, was about to dispose of the paper when a wicked thought possessed her.
- She sighed lightly and pushed the door closed before she turned to dress.
- She turned away from the window, sighing wearily as she glanced round the room.
- The trees swayed and sighed gently in the soft wind.
THESAURUS
[intransitive, transitive] to take air into your lungs and send it out again: · Mary knew he was asleep because he was breathing deeply.· He breathed the clear spring air.
to breathe out slowly and make a noise that shows you are disappointed, tired, relieved etc: · She just sighed and shook her head.· ‘Never mind,’ he sighed. ‘I’m sure there’ll be other opportunities.’
to breathe quickly and noisily through your mouth, because you have been using a lot of effort: · They were panting by the time they got to the finish line.
to breathe very quickly and deeply and with difficulty: · Her eyes were wide, and she was gasping for breath.· ‘Do you think you can walk?’ ‘I’ll try to,’ he gasped.
to breathe noisily while you are sleeping: · I couldn’t sleep because my husband was snoring.
to breathe with difficulty, making a noise in your throat and chest, because you are ill: · His asthma was making him wheeze.
to be unable to breathe easily, especially because you have been running or doing other exercise: · I was out of breath by the time we reached the top of the hill.
to be unable to breathe easily, especially because you are unhealthy: · Because she was so overweight, she was often short of breath.
Longman Language Activatorto breathe noisily to breathe in noisily through your nose, for example because you have a cold or because you are crying: · Stop sniffing! Use your handkerchief.· "I'm sorry I got so upset,'' she sniffed.· The dog raised its nose in the air, sniffed, and then started to follow the scent.
to breathe in and out noisily, because you are disappointed, tired, or sad, or because you can begin to relax after worrying about something: · Frank sighed deeply and stared out of the window.· "That's life, I suppose,'' she sighed.· Sighing wearily, she began her routine of getting ready for bed.
to suddenly breathe in noisily, because you are surprised, shocked, or in pain: · I gasped when I heard how much the ring had cost.· The crowd gasped as the plane burst into flames.gasp with amazement/shock/pain etc: · One of the boys hit him in the face, and he gasped with pain.
to breathe noisily while you are asleep: · My husband snores so loudly that I find it difficult to get to sleep.· If you snore, it's better not to sleep on your back.
to breathe out very noisily through your nose, especially to show that you are amused or annoyed: · My sister snorts when she laughs.· The horse lowered its head, and snorted at them.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
Frankie stared out of the window and sighed deeply.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He gave a sigh of contentment, and fell asleep. She gave me a last despairing look. Rebecca heaved a sigh of relief.
Frankie stared out of the window and sighed deeply. He gave a sigh of contentment, and fell asleep. She gave me a last despairing look. Rebecca heaved a sigh of relief.· United fans breathed a huge sigh of relief as Drogba's shot was tipped over the bar.
· He allowed himself a little smile of satisfaction.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· She threw herself into his arms, sighing deeply when he half-heartedly returned her embrace.· He sighed deeply, stepping up to the white line.· Father O'Harte, easing his little white collar, for it was a hot day, sighed deeply.· Kissinger would sigh deeply, then take it up once again.· He sighed deeply then mounted the stairs and looked around him slowly.· Oliver sighed deeply, stuffed his treasure back into his pockets and sat down on the grass to watch.· In this he carefully laid Tess, and kissing her lips, sighed deeply and happily.· Eventually he sighed deeply, pushed himself to his feet and with a wan smile departed.
· I sighed heavily and he took no notice.· Theresa sighed heavily as she unbuttoned her coat.· Lindsey sighed heavily, wishing she had never met Niall Grant, and knew that even that wasn't true.· She sighed heavily, and then realised that her sigh was audible.· At last she sighed heavily, closed her magazine and sat back in her chair with her hands clasped in her lap.· Jane flopped forward on her chair and sighed heavily.· Ranulf sighed heavily, a long way from this dour monastery and his secretive master.· He sighed heavily, and forced himself to relax.
· Donna ran a hand through her hair and sighed wearily.· She turned away from the window, sighing wearily as she glanced round the room.· Donna sighed wearily and prepared to continue the search.
NOUN· Her exalted moment of remembrance expired, she sighed in her relief and in her certainty of purpose.· We sighed with relief, congratulating our-selves on our vigilance.· Kali sat down on a flat stone, sighing with relief.· The liberal politicians sigh with relief and continue their efforts to enlarge the welfare state.· As the plane taxied along the runway she sighed with relief.· Lindsey followed, sighing her own relief as the noise faded behind them.
VERB· She guessed Stephen was looking at her, she had heard him sigh when her dress had come off.· We heard the bed springs sigh as Ralph lay down.· She heard his sigh of impatience, and squeezed past the speaker, groping her way through the darkness to his side.· Dougal heard him sigh softly with relief.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1to breathe in and out making a long sound, especially because you are bored, disappointed, tired etc: - Emilia sighed for her lost youth.
- I breathed a sigh of relief that the boy had been found safe.
- As you awaken from this nightmare, you breathe a sigh of relief.
- If the law lords tell Lord Young to publish, he will breathe a sigh of relief and obey.
- In the end Krushchev backed down and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
- Marie breathed a sigh of relief.
- She breathed a sigh of relief, and ran through to the living-room where she could hear Stephen's voice.
- The deadline came, the flood gates opened and we breathed a sigh of relief.
- The Government could breathe a sigh of relief at the disappearance of some of its fiercest critics.
- Yet the medical profession, seeing no upturn in the incidence of cancer, breathed a sigh of relief.
- As for Uncle Walter ... Alec heaved a sigh.
- However, as far as the retailers' 1992/93 profits are concerned, they have heaved a sigh of relief.
- I heave a sigh of resignation, knowing how notoriously difficult it is to put unity into words.
- Kathleen found herself heaving a sigh of relief.
- The water companies are heaving a sigh of relief.
- Those whose companies' dealings with Codelco declined during that time frame say they are heaving sighs of relief.
- When Tom Hanks passed on the news that evening on his way home, Seb heaved a sigh of relief.
‘Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now,’ she sighed.sigh heavily/deeply Frankie stared out of the window and sighed deeply.sigh with He sighed with despair at the thought of all the opportunities he had missed.► see thesaurus at breathe2 literary if the wind sighs, it makes a long sound like someone sighing: The wind sighed in the trees.3sigh for something to be sad because you are thinking about a pleasant time in the past: Emilia sighed for her lost youth.sigh1 verbsigh2 noun
sighsigh2 ●●○ noun [countable] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "Oh no!" he said with a sigh, "Not again!"
- Irene closed the door behind her and breathed a big sigh of relief.
- It was amazing what a sigh could do.
- Quinn let out a little sigh and closed the book.
- She looked out of the now sparkling window and heaved a deep sigh.
- Tabitha flung herself at the hard bunk with an angry sigh.
- The chief let out a deep sigh.
- The water companies are heaving a sigh of relief.
- Those whose companies' dealings with Codelco declined during that time frame say they are heaving sighs of relief.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs He gave a sigh of contentment, and fell asleep. She gave me a last despairing look. Rebecca heaved a sigh of relief.
· She let out a sigh of disappointment.
(=to sigh loudly and deeply)· Uncle Walter heaved a sigh and slumped back in his chair.
· When he had left, Miranda breathed a sigh of relief.
adjectives· Jimmy gave a deep sigh and shrugged.
· With a long sigh, she tried to shake off her sombre mood.
· She heaved a great sigh.
(=a big sad sigh)· Finally, she turned away from the mirror with a heavy sigh.
· Quinn let out a little sigh and closed the book.
· With a weary sigh, she rubbed a hand over her eyes.
(=a sigh that can be heard)· Tonight she breathed an audible sigh of relief as the show ended.
(=a sigh that many people give at the same time)· She heard a collective sigh of relief as she announced her acceptance.
phrases· At last the girl stopped eating and sat back with a sigh of satisfaction.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He gave a sigh of contentment, and fell asleep. She gave me a last despairing look. Rebecca heaved a sigh of relief.· United fans breathed a huge sigh of relief as Drogba's shot was tipped over the bar.
· He allowed himself a little smile of satisfaction.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· There was an audible sigh of relief.· There was an almost audible sigh of relief as they all stood around the foot of the column.· An audible sigh of relief rose from the ranks of mainstream macroeconomists.· There was an almost audible sigh of relief around the world that some one had been caught tampering with the dictionary.· He only just made it back to the crease. Audible sighs of relief.
· Rex breathed a very big sigh of relief.· The readers' response: a big sigh and a rustle as they turn the page.· A yawn, then a big sigh.· Pulling up outside the hotel, she gave a big, thankful sigh.· Sara gave a big involuntary sigh and returned to her hairpins and rollers.
· The watching deities gave a collective sigh.· You could hear a collective sigh of relief.· A collective sigh of relief seemed to whistle from every pore of the house as I walked away.· There was a collective sigh of relief.
· She looked out of the now sparkling window and heaved a deep sigh.· The chief let out a deep sigh.· He heard the library clock faintly chiming the hour over towards the Butts Estate and sighed a deep and heartfelt sigh.· She ran her fingers through the dark mass of her hair and let out a deep sigh.· Everyone in the convoy breathed a deep sigh of relief.· With a deep sigh, I left the room and locked it behind me.
· But perhaps ... She opened the surgery door and Helen greeted her with a great sigh of relief.· The brakes caught with a great sigh.· There came a sipping sound, a slight smacking of lips, and another great dismal sigh.· A great sigh, so loud it could be heard in the back of the balcony.· He heaved a great sigh of hopelessness.· We have all felt the howling wind of that great communal sigh which emanates from the queue behind you.· Finally and with a great sigh, Robyn forced herself into action.
· Jubilation! Huge sighs of relief.· Mildred opened her eyes and breathed a huge sigh of relief.· Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief.· Women around the world were heard to heave a huge sigh of relief.· Suddenly he let out a huge sigh, as though the air was being forced out of him.
· She stood looking in the window, then gave a little sigh.· Her hand moved below, smoothed, stroked where the love-ache was, until Bethany gave a little sigh.· Releasing a shaky little sigh, she put the iron back on its stand with a hand that shook.· Quinn let out a little sigh and closed the book.· Unconsciously she gave a little sigh.· She wasn't going to find out tonight, Caroline thought with a little sigh.· She slept deeply; sometimes she gave a comfortable little sigh.· With a little sigh, Caroline settled into a chair opposite and put her head back.
· He breathed out, a long sigh of a breath.· I envisioned her smile, and the long sigh as we gave ourselves over to an honest conversation.· Folding her against him, he gave a long sigh, then moved her back so that he could look into her face.· He gave a long sigh, finally, and said he hated everything around here.· Mr Donovan gave a long sigh of relief.· She let out a long, appreciative sigh.· When he kissed her there was a long, shared sigh.
· The boy's knees buckled and the air left his lungs in a small sigh.· She tried to imagine herself doing it and then heaved a small sigh.· If only he would talk to her ... Jessamy gave a small sigh.· She looked at the pretty fountain again and gave a small sigh.· Eleanor went completely white, and Jessamy gave a small sigh of relief.· She sighed a small sigh, feeling a little better.· Just another unanswered question, she acknowledged with a small sigh, as she re-wrapped it.· With a small guttural sigh she relaxed and allowed him to part her thighs.
· With a weary sigh she rubbed a hand over her eyes.· Robyn breathed a weary sigh of relief, and threw the carrier of wet clothes on to the floor.· Father Poole gave a weary sigh.· Holman let a weary sigh escape from his lips.
VERB· He breathed a sigh or relief when Mrs Long announced he had polled 31.· A lot of abortion rights supporters also breathed a premature sigh of relief.· The Government could breathe a sigh of relief at the disappearance of some of its fiercest critics.· As you awaken from this nightmare, you breathe a sigh of relief.· Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief.· He breathed a sigh of relief as he bumped over the crest.· If, as trials suggest, the system is a success, the foot-weary pedestrian will breathe a sigh of relief.
· It was quite half an hour before he gave a sigh and settled down again to reading his magazine.· Her hand moved below, smoothed, stroked where the love-ache was, until Bethany gave a little sigh.· Folding her against him, he gave a long sigh, then moved her back so that he could look into her face.· He gave a sigh of relief and started walking again.· When she woke in the morning, it was to clear blue skies, and she gave a sigh of pleasure.· The man gave a sigh of resignation.· Kelly waved as she pulled away in her car, and gave a little sigh of relief.· Sara gave a big involuntary sigh and returned to her hairpins and rollers.
· She looked out of the now sparkling window and heaved a deep sigh.· I heave a sigh of resignation, knowing how notoriously difficult it is to put unity into words.· He and Christopher got on well, and Jane heaved an inward sigh of relief.· Those whose companies' dealings with Codelco declined during that time frame say they are heaving sighs of relief.· The sergeant sat down, placed his feet into the ice-cold potassium permanganate solution and heaved a euphoric sigh of relief.· The water companies are heaving a sigh of relief.· She tried to imagine herself doing it and then heaved a small sigh.
· She let out a sigh of impatience.· The chief let out a deep sigh.· Once Ari had gone, Leila slumped, letting out a sigh.· She ran her fingers through the dark mass of her hair and let out a deep sigh.· I close the door and let out a sigh of relief.· Quinn let out a little sigh and closed the book.
· Those whose companies' dealings with Codelco declined during that time frame say they are heaving sighs of relief.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
an act or sound of sighingsigh of- I breathed a sigh of relief that the boy had been found safe.
- As you awaken from this nightmare, you breathe a sigh of relief.
- If the law lords tell Lord Young to publish, he will breathe a sigh of relief and obey.
- In the end Krushchev backed down and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
- Marie breathed a sigh of relief.
- She breathed a sigh of relief, and ran through to the living-room where she could hear Stephen's voice.
- The deadline came, the flood gates opened and we breathed a sigh of relief.
- The Government could breathe a sigh of relief at the disappearance of some of its fiercest critics.
- Yet the medical profession, seeing no upturn in the incidence of cancer, breathed a sigh of relief.
- As for Uncle Walter ... Alec heaved a sigh.
- However, as far as the retailers' 1992/93 profits are concerned, they have heaved a sigh of relief.
- I heave a sigh of resignation, knowing how notoriously difficult it is to put unity into words.
- Kathleen found herself heaving a sigh of relief.
- The water companies are heaving a sigh of relief.
- Those whose companies' dealings with Codelco declined during that time frame say they are heaving sighs of relief.
- When Tom Hanks passed on the news that evening on his way home, Seb heaved a sigh of relief.
She let out a sigh of impatience.give/let out/heave a sigh Laura shrugged, and gave a heavy sigh. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard they were safe.COLLOCATIONSverbsgive/let out a sigh· She let out a sigh of disappointment.heave a sigh (=to sigh loudly and deeply)· Uncle Walter heaved a sigh and slumped back in his chair.breathe a sigh of relief· When he had left, Miranda breathed a sigh of relief.adjectivesa deep sigh· Jimmy gave a deep sigh and shrugged.a long sigh· With a long sigh, she tried to shake off her sombre mood.a huge/great/big sigh· She heaved a great sigh.a heavy sigh (=a big sad sigh)· Finally, she turned away from the mirror with a heavy sigh.a little/small sigh· Quinn let out a little sigh and closed the book.a weary sigh· With a weary sigh, she rubbed a hand over her eyes.an audible sigh (=a sigh that can be heard)· Tonight she breathed an audible sigh of relief as the show ended.a collective sigh (=a sigh that many people give at the same time)· She heard a collective sigh of relief as she announced her acceptance.phrasesa sigh of relief/exasperation/satisfaction etc· At last the girl stopped eating and sat back with a sigh of satisfaction.