Question - Cold Breath words

[DormantEvil]

I have a question.

What words can you describe the cold breaths of air that a character might breathe out?

I cannot for the life of my remember.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Verdad]

I have a question.

What words can you describe the cold breaths of air that a character might breathe out?

I cannot for the life of my remember.

Any help would be appreciated.

Unless this is some vampire thing I’m not in on, your character can’t exhale cold air.

The breath he exhales is warm and moist, so if it’s cold outside, the moisture will condense and form little clouds. Not sure of a word you’re looking for, though. Mist; steam?

 

[DormantEvil]

You are correct about my incorrectness in wording that question.

XD

And yes, its an annoying word/description.

 

[Verdad]

You are correct about my incorrectness in wording that question.

XD

And yes, its an annoying word/description.

Hey, no problem. But you probably need to give us more if you want us to get what you’re looking for. Do you have a sentence that lacks this one word or can you at least describe what you're trying to nail?

 

[DormantEvil]

Orphaned children are trudging through the mud on their way to a workhouse, its frosty in the early dawn hours of the day, and they wear tattered clothing and have holes in their shoes.

I am just looking for a simple word or phrase to describe the white clouds they breathe out.

It's a rather simple problem, just has a tricky answer for my brain to release.

 

[Verdad]

Orphaned children are trudging through the mud on their way to a workhouse, its frosty in the early dawn hours of the day, and they wear tattered clothing and have holes in their shoes.

I am just looking for a simple word or phrase to describe the white clouds they breathe out.

It's a rather simple problem, just has a tricky answer for my brain to release.

Plumes?

 

[3113]

Puffs

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Technically speaking its low pressure steam or fog, but I've always called it 'breath.'

 

[tolyk]

Orphaned children are trudging through the mud on their way to a workhouse, its frosty in the early dawn hours of the day, and they wear tattered clothing and have holes in their shoes.

I am just looking for a simple word or phrase to describe the white clouds they breathe out.

It's a rather simple problem, just has a tricky answer for my brain to release.

You know, I've read so many good descriptions for this, and come up with a few myself but the moment the question is posed.... blank goes the mind

 

[DormantEvil]

Exactly.

XD

 

[tolyk]

Exactly.

XD

You know.. come to think of it, I generally just describe the scene and leave the frosty breath up to the imagination of the reader.

Here's a quick example I found though: http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1221514-Winter-Scene

 

[colddiesel]

Try a simile rather than a word eg. Her hot breath in the chill morning wrapped itself around her, like a vice on her heart.

Ok, melodramatic, but play around with it a bit.

You should be able to paint the mood of the character rather than just give the weather report.

 

[tolyk]

Try a simile rather than a word eg. Her hot breath in the chill morning wrapped itself around her, like a vice on her heart.

Ok, melodramatic, but play around with it a bit.

You should be able to paint the mood of the character rather than just give the weather report.

That was a much better way of saying what I was meaning. Excellent

 

[DormantEvil]

I think my brain just needs to take a coffee break and come back hitting hard.

Thanks for the help. I realize the reason I couldn't think of one word, is because it must not actually exist.

Even if that's wrong.

Problem solved.

Cheers.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I went outside to smoke. The world was covered with snow. At dawn the thermometer hovered at zero. The wind had moderated to a frigid breeze and my breath floated from my mouth, across the porch, into the yard, in large languid clouds. Christ! It was cold.

This is how I handled it in a story I wrote.

 

[R. Richard]

The 'visible breath' that you see on a cold day is properly called a 'condensation cloud.'

Warm, moist air from your lungs mixes with the cold, outside air. Cold air can't hold as much water vapor as warm air, so the moisture from your lungs precipitates out as a cloud of water and/or ice droplets.

 

[JustaSCOUNDREL]

I am sure I have seen this phrase done by several different writers in populate fiction. "You could see their breath."

 

[DormantEvil]

Thanks.

I'll describe the scene and mood, not the words themselves.

 

[SweetWitch]

Thanks.

I'll describe the scene and mood, not the words themselves.

Ghostly clouds of spent breath floated in the still morning air?

 

[DormantEvil]

I really like that one. XD