Past tense of sigh; to emit a long, deep audible breath expressing sadness, relief, tiredness, or similar feelings.
Middle English 'sighen', possibly imitative of the sound itself. The word may derive from Old English 'sīcan' meaning 'to sigh', with similar forms found across Germanic languages, suggesting an ancient onomatopoeic origin.
Sighing is one of the few human vocalizations that's both involuntary and meaningful - we sigh automatically when stressed, but also deliberately to communicate emotions. Research shows that sighs actually serve a vital physiological function, helping reset our breathing patterns and keep lung tissue flexible.
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