не сметь дыхнуть

• НЕ СМЕТЬ ДОХНУТЬ coll (ДЫХНУТЬ substand)

[VP; subj: human]

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⇒ to be extremely afraid (of s.o.) or nervous (about sth.) and usu. not move (for fear of drawing s.o.'s attention to one, making sth. go wrong etc):

- X не смел дохнуть{{}}≈ X didn't dare (to) breathe;

- X didn't dare (to) move a muscle.

     ♦ Новый учитель был так строг, что ученики при нем дохнуть не смели. The new teacher was so strict that the students didn't dare to move a muscle in his presence.