- Meaning
- This idiom advises against expecting something to happen soon or at all, implying that the outcome is unlikely or will take a long time. It suggests skepticism about promises or hopes, urging realism over optimism. The phrase is used in casual or sarcastic contexts to temper expectations, often with a wry or dismissive tone, evoking the futility of holding one’s breath while waiting for an improbable event.
- Origin
- The phrase likely originated in 19th-century English, tied to the physical act of holding one’s breath in anticipation, which is unsustainable. An early use appears in an 1867 *Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine* article: ‘Don’t hold your breath for it.’ The idiom reflects a practical, slightly cynical worldview, gaining traction in the 20th century, particularly in American English, during times of political or economic uncertainty. Its use in journalism and literature, such as Ernest Hemingway’s dialogues, popularized it as a pithy way to express doubt, especially in fast-paced urban cultures.
- Variants
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- Don’t hold your breath for it
- Hold not your breath
- Don’t wait holding your breath
- Examples
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- He says he’ll pay you back soon, but don’t hold your breath.
- Don’t hold your breath for the new policy to take effect—it’s stuck in bureaucracy.
- She’s waiting for an apology, but I told her not to hold her breath.
- Hold not your breath for the concert tickets; they’re already sold out.
- Don’t wait holding your breath for the promotion—they rarely reward loyalty here.
- They promised a software update, but don’t hold your breath for it this year.
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