Meaning: He didn't breathe, looking closely at the deepest part of the sea.
Choice of Words: Held: kept in place; breath: air in the lungs; eyes: organs for seeing; scanning: moving quickly to search; depths: the deepest part of something.
Alternative Expressions
He paused his breathing, his eyes darting across the abyss.
Meaning: This sentence means that he stopped breathing and was looking very quickly across a very deep hole or space.
Choice of Words:Paused means to stop something for a short time. Breathing is the air that you breathe in and out. Eyes are the organs that allow you to see. Darting means to move quickly and suddenly. Abyss means a very deep hole or space.
He suspended his respiration, his gaze sweeping the profound expanse.
Meaning: This sentence means that he stopped breathing and was looking very carefully at a very large, deep, and open area.
Choice of Words:Suspended means to stop something for a period of time. Respiration is the act of breathing. Gaze means a steady look. Sweeping means to move quickly and smoothly over a surface. Profound means very deep or serious. Expanse means a large, open area.