anhēlitus, ūs, m. id.. A difficulty of breathing, panting, puffing (class. for the post-Aug. anhelatio): ex cursurā anhelitum ducere, to pant, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 61: nimiae celeritates gressus cum fiunt, anhelitus moventur, quickness of breathing is caused, Cic. Off. 1, 36, 131: anhelitum vix sufferre, Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 4: anhelitum recipere, id. Ep. 2, 2, 21: sublimis anhelitus, deep, * Hor. C. 1, 15, 31: creber, quick, Quint. 11, 3, 55: vastos quatit aeger anhelitus artus, painful panting, Verg. A. 5, 432: aridus e lasso veniebat anhelitus ore, Ov. M. 10, 663; Sen. Ep. 54; Gell. 12, 5.

—As a disease, the asthma (cf. anhelatio), Plin. 35, 15, 51, § 180.

— In gen., breathing, breath: unguentorum odor, vini anhelitus, breath smelling of wine, Cic. Red. in Sen. 7, 16: male odorati anhelitus oris, bad breath, Ov. A. A. 1, 521: anhelitum reddere ac per vices recipere, to breathe out and in, Plin. 9, 7, 6, § 16 al.

— Metaph., of other things, breath, exhalation, vapor: credo etiam anhelitus quosdam fuisse terrarum, quibus inflatae mentes oracula funderent, Cic. Div. 1, 50, 115: placet Stoicos eos anhelitus terrae, qui frigidi sunt, cum fluere coeperint, ventos esse, id. ib. 2, 19, 44.