To say two things at the same time or immediately one after the other, often things that are contradictory or inconsistent.
This phrase originated in the 16th century from the literal understanding that a single breath could carry only a limited amount of speech. The expression emphasized the closeness in time between two statements, suggesting they were spoken so quickly that they occurred within one exhalation.
The phrase cleverly uses the physical limitation of human breathing to highlight logical inconsistencies in speech—if two contradictory things are said 'in the same breath,' the speaker hasn't even paused to think between them. It's a brilliant way to call out hypocrisy or thoughtless contradictions using our most basic biological rhythm.
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