Etimology
From Middle English aire, from Old French air, from Latin āēr, from Ancient Greek ἀήρ (aḗr). Displaced native Old English lyft. More at lift, loft.
noun
air (countable and uncountable, plural airs)
(uncountable, meteorology) The substance constituting Earth's atmosphere, particularly:
(usually with the) The apparently open space above the ground which this substance fills, (historical) formerly thought to be limited by the firmament but (meteorology) now considered to be surrounded by the near vacuum of outer space.
A breeze; a gentle wind.
A feeling or sense.
A sense of poise, graciousness, or quality.
(usually in the plural) Pretension; snobbishness; pretence that one is better than others.
(music) A song, especially a solo; an aria.
(informal) Nothing; absence of anything.
(countable, uncountable) An air conditioner or the processed air it produces.
(obsolete, chemistry) Any specific gas.
(snowboarding, skateboarding, motor sports) A jump in which one becomes airborne.
A television or radio signal; (by extension) media broadcasts in general.
(uncountable) Publicity.
Examples
I'm going outside to get some air.
The air on Mars is so thin that high and low temperatures on the day differ a lot.
Synonym: wind
Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.B. Wooster: Hm? What happened in 1776, Jeeves?Jeeves: I prefer not to dwell on it, if it's convenient to you, sir.
There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm.
The flock of birds took to the air.
to give it an air of artistry and sophistication
The girl stooped to pluck a rose, and as she bent over it, her profile was clearly outlined. She held the flower to her face with a long-drawn inhalation, then went up the steps, crossed the piazza, opened the door without knocking, and entered the house with the air of one thoroughly at home.
Even at the busiest periods, an air of quiet orderliness pervades the hall, and the first impression gained by the traveller is one of efficiency, neatness and cleanliness.
Smalling’s quick one-two of yellow cards towards the end of the first half had left an air of inevitability about what would follow and, if anything, it was probably a surprise that City restricted themselves to Sergio Agüero’s goal bearing in mind another of United’s defenders, Marcos Rojo, was taken off on a stretcher early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder.
"He is very plain, undoubtedly—remarkably plain:—but that is nothing compared with his entire want of gentility. I had no right to expect much, and I did not expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air. I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility."
putting on airs
He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.
"If I," said Mr. Collins, "were so fortunate as to be able to sing, I should have great pleasure, I am sure, in obliging the company with an air; for I consider music as a very innocent diversion, and perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman […] "
The lad, his son, had obtained a Jew's-harp, and learned to play upon it the profane airs of "Yankee Doodle," "Hail Columbia," "St. Patrick's Day," and "Auld Lang Syne."
Could you turn on the air?
Hey, did you mean to leave the airs on all week while you were on vacation?
Ernst gave a list of political activists who had been denied access to the air by private broadcasters, and pointed out that "Secretary Hoover's signature in New York sells for $150,000 to $200,000," thus limiting access to the air on the part of labor unions and other underrepresented groups.
Coming to you live once a month, or whenever I feel like broadcasting a little pirate air.
“These members need air cover in the media.” Paid media is the admission ticket to enter the big-time Washington stage.
Related words
synonyms
atmosphere
aura
luft
nimbus
gas
related terms
aerate
aero-
aria
verb
air (third-person singular simple present airs, present participle airing, simple past and past participle aired)
(transitive) To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it.
(transitive) To let fresh air into (a room or a building), to ventilate.
(transitive) To give voice to, to make public (an opinion etc.).
(Can we verify(+) this sense?) To discuss varying viewpoints on a given topic.
(transitive) To broadcast (a television show etc.).
(intransitive) To be broadcast.
(transitive, British, MLE, slang) To ignore (a person).
Examples
It's getting quite stuffy in this room: let's open the windows and air it.
John Mayer has apologised for using a racist epithet in a recent interview with Playboy magazine, after a number of prominent black musicians aired their disapproval.
Thus, in spite of all opposition, the rural and urban assemblies retained the germ of local government, and in spite of the dual control, as the result of which much of their influence was nullified, they did have a certain value in airing abuses and suggesting improvements.
This game show first aired in the 1990s and is still going today.
Why is this girl airing me?
verb
air
Pronunciation spelling of are.