catch one’s breath

In addition to the idiom beginning with breath

• breathe down someone’s neck
• breathe easy
• breathe life into
• breathe one’s last
• breathing space
• breath of fresh air

also see:

• catch one’s breath
• hold one’s breath
• in the same breath
• out of breath
• save one’s breath
• take one’s breath away
• under one’s breath
• waste one’s breath
• with bated breath