hold one's breath

1. Be excited, anxious, or nervous. For example, The election was so close that I held my breath until the final results were in , or I'm holding my breath until every-one's been heard from . This expression alludes to the interruption of normal breathing; the literal usage dating from the early 1700s.

2. not hold one's breath . An expression used to mean one is not awaiting something, as in I'm hoping to hear if I got the job, but I'm not holding my breath . It often is put as an imperative, don't hold your breath , meaning “don't expect it, it's not likely,” as in They may get married this summer, but don't hold your breath . This expression in effect implies it is unwise to stop breathing until a particular event occurs, since it may never come to pass. [ Slang ; mid-1900s]