HomeServicesBlogDictionariesContactSpanish Course
Home › Dictionary › English › don't hold your breath
← Back to search

Meaning of don't hold your breath | Babel Free

Phrase CEFR C2

Definitions

Don't wait. Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned is unlikely to happen soon or at all.

idiomatic, imperative

Equivalents

Deutsch da kannst du lange drauf warten darauf kannst du lange warten darauf können Sie lange warten
Español espera sentado
Italiano ce n'è da aspettare
Português espera sentado podes esperar sentado podes tirar o cavalinho da chuva
Русский держи́ карма́н ши́ре /lit: hold your pocket wider/ раскати́л губу́ /lit: you've unrolled your lip/

Examples

“- The government says it's going to introduce free meals for all schoolchildren. - Huh, don't hold your breath.”
“Don't hold your breath and don't jump to conclusions, but there is likely to be an announcement about the future of the railways in the next few weeks - [...].”

CEFR level

C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.

See also

don't keep a dog and bark yourself don't knock it till you've tried it don't knock yourself out don't let the bedbugs bite don't let the door hit you on the way out don't look a gift horse in the mouth

Learn this word in context

See don't hold your breath used in real conversations inside our free language course.

Start Free Course