souffle

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breath, breathing, gust, blast, current of air
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/sufl/
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Breath and moving air sit at its core, with extended uses for stamina, renewed momentum, creative or vital force, medical murmurs, and audio hiss.

Examples

  • Le souffle de la forge chauffait le visage.
    The blast from the forge warmed his face.
  • Le chanteur travaille son souffle chaque matin.
    The singer works on his breath every morning.
  • On entendait le souffle régulier du dormeur.
    The regular breathing of the sleeper could be heard.
  • Aucun souffle ne passait dans la ruelle.
    No breeze passed through the alley.
  • La réforme manque déjà de souffle.
    The reform is already losing momentum.

Similar words

bourrasque
vent
courant d’air
élan
bruit respiratoire
résistance
rafale
bruit auscultatoire
élan
grésillement

Meanings

Breath and breathing

noun
health
neutral
Air pushed out through the mouth or lungs, and the breathing or breath capacity heard or felt in the body.

Examples

  • Après la côte, elle a repris son souffle.
    After the hill, she got her breath back.
  • Le coureur retenait son souffle avant le départ.
    The runner held his breath before the start.
  • Son souffle devenait court dans l’escalier.
    His breathing became short on the stairs.
  • Le chanteur travaille son souffle chaque matin.
    The singer works on his breath every morning.
  • On entendait le souffle régulier du dormeur.
    The regular breathing of the sleeper could be heard.
  • Le froid lui a coupé le souffle.
    The cold took his breath away.
  • Il a soufflé sur la vitre avec un souffle chaud.
    He breathed on the glass with a warm breath.

Similar words

Moving air or blast

noun
physical
neutral
A movement of air, from a light breeze to the violent pressure wave made by an explosion or machine.

Examples

  • Un souffle de vent a ouvert la fenêtre.
    A gust of wind opened the window.
  • Le souffle de l’explosion a brisé les vitres.
    The blast from the explosion shattered the windows.
  • Aucun souffle ne passait dans la ruelle.
    No breeze passed through the alley.
  • Le souffle du réacteur soulevait la poussière.
    The jet blast lifted the dust.
  • Un souffle frais est monté du fleuve.
    A cool breeze rose from the river.
  • La flamme a vacillé au moindre souffle.
    The flame flickered at the slightest breath of air.
  • Le souffle de la forge chauffait le visage.
    The blast from the forge warmed his face.

Similar words

Stamina or renewed energy

noun
sport
neutral
The physical capacity to keep going, or a fresh impulse that lets a person, group, or project continue.

Examples

  • Ce marathonien a beaucoup de souffle.
    This marathon runner has a lot of stamina.
  • L’équipe a retrouvé un second souffle après la pause.
    The team found a second wind after the break.
  • La réforme manque déjà de souffle.
    The reform is already losing momentum.
  • Il faut du souffle pour finir cette montée.
    It takes stamina to finish this climb.
  • Le projet a pris un nouveau souffle en septembre.
    The project gained new momentum in September.
  • Elle a gardé assez de souffle pour accélérer.
    She kept enough stamina to speed up.
  • Le débat s’est essoufflé faute de souffle politique.
    The debate faded for lack of political momentum.

Similar words

Creative or vital force

noun
arts
literary
An animating force, inspiration, or life energy that gives depth, movement, and intensity to art, thought, or living beings.

Examples

  • Ce roman a un souffle épique.
    This novel has an epic sweep.
  • Un souffle de liberté traverse le poème.
    A spirit of freedom runs through the poem.
  • Le tableau manque de souffle.
    The painting lacks inspiration.
  • Dans cette pensée, le souffle anime le vivant.
    In this thought, the vital force animates the living.
  • Son discours portait le souffle d’une génération.
    His speech carried the spirit of a generation.
  • La pièce retrouve le souffle des grands mythes.
    The play recovers the force of great myths.
  • Le maître parle du souffle qui circule dans le corps.
    The master speaks of the vital breath that circulates in the body.

Similar words

Medical murmur

noun
medical
technical
An abnormal or notable sound heard during auscultation of the heart, lungs, or blood vessels.

Examples

  • Le médecin a entendu un souffle au cœur.
    The doctor heard a heart murmur.
  • Un souffle systolique a été noté pendant l’examen.
    A systolic murmur was noted during the exam.
  • Le souffle respiratoire était plus fort à gauche.
    The respiratory sound was stronger on the left.
  • Ce souffle exige un avis cardiologique.
    This murmur requires a cardiology opinion.
  • Le pédiatre surveille le souffle de l’enfant.
    The pediatrician monitors the child’s murmur.
  • L’auscultation révèle un léger souffle.
    Auscultation reveals a slight murmur.
  • Le compte rendu décrit un souffle mitral.
    The report describes a mitral murmur.

Similar words

Audio hiss

noun
audio
technical
A steady background noise in audio equipment or recordings, especially a soft hiss heard behind the useful signal.

Examples

  • On entend un souffle dans l’enregistrement.
    A hiss can be heard in the recording.
  • Le technicien a réduit le souffle de la cassette.
    The technician reduced the cassette hiss.
  • Ce micro ajoute trop de souffle.
    This microphone adds too much hiss.
  • Le vieux poste de radio produit un souffle continu.
    The old radio produces a continuous hiss.
  • Le filtre retire une partie du souffle.
    The filter removes part of the hiss.
  • Le souffle couvre les passages silencieux.
    The hiss covers the silent passages.
  • Un bon préampli limite le souffle.
    A good preamp limits background noise.

Similar words

Etymology

A deverbal noun from French souffler, meaning to blow or breathe, with early Old French forms such as sofle attested for air pushed out by breathing.

FAQ

What does souffle mean in French?

Souffle means breath or moving air, and it also extends to stamina, inspiration, medical murmurs, and audio hiss.

Is souffle the same as soufflé?

No. Souffle is the unaccented French noun for breath and related senses, while soufflé is the accented word for the baked dish.

How is souffle pronounced?

Souffle is pronounced /sufl/ in French.

What is un souffle de vent?

It is a gust, current, or light movement of air.

What does reprendre son souffle mean?

It means to get one’s breath back after effort.

What is un second souffle?

It is renewed energy or momentum after fatigue or decline.

What is un souffle au cœur?

It is a heart murmur, a sound heard during auscultation.

Can souffle mean inspiration?

Yes. In literary use, souffle can mean creative energy, force, or inspiration.

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