air

[ air ]

/ ɛər /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR air ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and minute amounts of other gases that surrounds the earth and forms its atmosphere.

a stir in the atmosphere; a light breeze.

overhead space; sky: The planes filled the air.

circulation; publication; publicity: to give air to one's theories.

the general character or complexion of anything; appearance: His early work had an air of freshness and originality.

the peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person: There is an air of mystery about him.

airs, affected or unnatural manner; manifestation of pride or vanity; assumed haughtiness: He acquired airs that were insufferable to his friends.

Music.

a tune; melody.
the soprano or treble part.
an aria.
Also ayre. an Elizabethan art song.

aircraft as a means of transportation: to arrive by air; to ship goods by air.

Informal. air conditioning or an air-conditioning system: The price includes tires, radio, and air.

Sports.

(during an airborne stunt) the height between the ground and an athlete or an athlete with his or her equipment: The BMX course was designed for riders to get good air.
such a jump or other airborne stunt: The snowboarder took first place with four clean airs.

Radio. the medium through which radio waves are transmitted.

Archaic. breath.

verb (used with object)

to expose to the air; give access to the open air; ventilate (often followed by out): We air the bedrooms every day.

to expose ostentatiously; bring to public notice; display: to air one's opinions; to air one's theories.

to broadcast or televise.

verb (used without object)

to be exposed to the open air (often followed by out): Open the window and let the room air out.

to be broadcast or televised.

adjective

operating by means of air pressure or by acting upon air: an air drill; an air pump.

of or relating to aircraft or to aviation: air industry.

taking place in the air; aerial: air war.

Nearby words

aintree, ainu, aioli, aiora, aip, air, air alert, air arm, air attaché, air bag, air ball

Idioms

clear the air, to eliminate dissension, ambiguity, or tension from a discussion, situation, etc.: The staff meeting was intended to help clear the air.

get some air,

to take a break from an unpleasant encounter or stifling environment: She walked away from the argument to get some air.
to take a short rest.

get the air, Informal.

to be rejected, as by a lover.
to be dismissed, as by an employer: He had worked only a few days when he got the air.

give (someone) the air, Informal.

to reject, as a lover: He was bitter because she gave him the air.
to dismiss, as an employee.

in the air, in circulation; current: There's a rumor in the air that we're moving to a new location.

into thin air, completely out of sight or reach: He vanished into thin air.

off the air,

not broadcasting: The station goes off the air at midnight.
not broadcast; out of operation as a broadcast: The program went off the air years ago.

on the air, in the act of broadcasting; being broadcast: The program will be going on the air in a few seconds.

put on airs, to assume an affected or haughty manner: As their fortune increased, they began to put on airs.

take the air,

to go out-of-doors; take a short walk or ride.
Slang. to leave, especially hurriedly.
to begin broadcasting.

up in the air,

Also in the air. undecided or unsettled: The contract is still up in the air.
Informal. angry; perturbed: There is no need to get up in the air over a simple mistake.

walk/tread on air, to feel very happy; be elated.

Origin of air

1150–1200; Middle English eir < Old French air < Latin āēr- (accusative āerem) < Greek āer- (stem of āḗr) the lower atmosphere; conflated with (especially for defs 4, 5) French air, Old French aire nature, character < Latin ager field (cf. acre) and ārea threshing floor, clearing, area; and with (for def 7) French air < Italian aria aria

SYNONYMS FOR air

2 See wind¹.

5, 6 impression, aspect.

6 aura, demeanor, attitude. See manner¹.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR air ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

air·like, adjectiveun·aired, adjectivewell-aired, adjective

Can be confused

air e'er ere err heirer err

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for aired

“In America 100 percent of men have free sexual relations after marriage,” he said in another speech, which was aired on TV.
50 Shades of Iran: The Mullahs’ Kinky Fantasies about Sex in the West|IranWire, Shima Sharabi|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Newsroom aired its final episode on Sunday, already an eternity ago in news-cycle terms.
A Few Great Men Too Many: Aaron Sorkin Doesn’t Think You Can Handle the Truth|Arthur Chu|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The episode that aired before it, which involved a campus rape victim, was highly controversial.
'The Newsroom' Ended As It Began: Weird, Controversial, and Noble|Kevin Fallon|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the string of episodes that aired before that were gripping, noble, and simply entertaining to watch.
'The Newsroom' Ended As It Began: Weird, Controversial, and Noble|Kevin Fallon|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Rice had received this video in discovery during his criminal case, but it had not been aired publicly, as had the first video.
The $44 Million Teflon Don of the NFL|Mike Barnicle|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She and her young husband are busy hoisting the nets high up on a bamboo pole to have them aired and dried in the sun.
Sidelights on Chinese Life|J. Macgowan
Not altogether secretly, either, for he once aired his suspicions for Joes benefit.
Full-Back Foster|Ralph Henry Barbour
He aired it by the fire, and remarked that it had turned very cold.
Put Yourself in His Place|Charles Reade
The clothes, only that morning taken out of pickle to be aired by the good wife, were pestilential.
The Cathedral|Joris-Karl Huysmans
Flour, whether old or 20 new, should always be sunned and aired before being used.
Housekeeping in Old Virginia|Marion Cabell Tyree

British Dictionary definitions for aired (1 of 3)

AIR

abbreviation for

All India Radio

British Dictionary definitions for aired (2 of 3)

air

/ (ɛə) /

noun

the mixture of gases that forms the earth's atmosphere. At sea level dry air has a density of 1.226 kilograms per cubic metre and consists of 78.08 per cent nitrogen, 20.95 per cent oxygen, 0.93 per cent argon, 0.03 per cent carbon dioxide, with smaller quantities of ozone and inert gases; water vapour varies between 0 and 4 per cent and in industrial areas sulphur gases may be present as pollutants

the space above and around the earth; skyRelated adjective: aerial

breeze; slight wind

public expression; utteranceto give air to one's complaints

a distinctive qualityan air of mystery

a person's distinctive appearance, manner, or bearing

music

a simple tune for either vocal or instrumental performance
another word for aria

transportation in aircraft (esp in the phrase by air)

an archaic word for breath (def. 1), breath (def. 2), breath (def. 3)

Australian informal the height gained when getting airborne in surfing, snowboarding, etc

clear the air to rid a situation of tension or discord by settling misunderstandings, etc

give someone the air slang to reject or dismiss someone

in the air

in circulation; current
in the process of being decided; unsettled

into thin air leaving no trace behind

off the air not in the act of broadcasting or being broadcast on radio or television

on the air in the act of broadcasting or being broadcast on radio or television

out of thin air or from thin air suddenly and unexpectedly

take the air to go out of doors, as for a short walk or ride

up in the air

uncertain
informal agitated or excited

walk on air to feel elated or exhilarated

(modifier) astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Gemini, Libra, and AquariusCompare earth (def. 10), fire (def. 24), water (def. 12)

verb

to expose or be exposed to the air so as to cool or freshen; ventilateto air a room

to expose or be exposed to warm or heated air so as to dryto air linen

(tr) to make known publicly; display; publicizeto air one's opinions

(intr) (of a television or radio programme) to be broadcast

Word Origin for air

C13: via Old French and Latin from Greek aēr the lower atmosphere

British Dictionary definitions for aired (3 of 3)

Aïr

/ (ˈɑːɪə) /

noun

a mountainous region of N central Niger, in the Sahara, rising to 1500 m (5000 ft): a former native kingdom. Area: about 77 700 sq km (30 000 sq miles)Also called: Azbine, Asben

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for aired

air

[ âr ]

n.

A colorless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous mixture, approximately 78 percent nitrogen and approximately 21 percent oxygen with lesser amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, neon, helium, and other gases.

This mixture, with varying amounts of moisture and particulate matter, enveloping Earth; the atmosphere.

Any of various respiratory gases. No longer in technical use.

Science definitions for aired

air

[ âr ]

The colorless, odorless, tasteless mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth. Air consists of about 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, with the remaining part made up mainly of argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, methane, and krypton in decreasing order of volume. Air also contains varying amounts of water vapor, particulate matter such as dust and soot, and chemical pollutants.

Idioms and Phrases with aired

air

In addition to the idiom beginning with air

air one's grievances

also see:

breath of fresh air
castles in the air
clear the air
give someone the air
hot air
in the air
into (out of) thin air
nose in the air
off the air
put on airs
up in the air
walk on air
wash (air) one's dirty linen