Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Air
Air
(âr)
, Noun.
[OE.
air
, eir
, F. air
, L. aër
, fr. Gr. ἀήρ
, air, mist, for ἀϝηρ
, fr. root ἀϝ
to blow, breathe, probably akin to E. wind
. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. aria
atmosphere, air, fr. the same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. aria
, or due to confusion with F. aire
, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. Aëry
, Debonair
, Malaria
, Wind
.] 1.
The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable.
☞ By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen, 20.96 per cent.; nitrogen, 79.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide, 0.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. Air also always contains some vapor of water.
2.
Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile.
“Charm ache with air.” Shak.
He was still all
[air
and fire. Air
and fire
being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth
and water
.] Macaulay
3.
A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc., or as affecting the sensations;
as, a smoky
air
, a damp air
, the morning air
, etc.4.
Any aëriform body; a gas;
as, oxygen was formerly called vital
. air
[Obs.]
5.
Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind.
Let vernal
airs
through trembling osiers play. Pope.
6.
Odoriferous or contaminated air.
7.
That which surrounds and influences.
The keen, the wholesome
air
of poverty. Wordsworth.
8.
Utterance abroad; publicity; vent.
You gave it
air
before me. Dryden.
9.
Intelligence; information.
[Obs.]
Bacon.
10.
(Mus.)
(a)
A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria.
(b)
In harmonized chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc., the part which bears the tune or melody – in modern harmony usually the upper part – is sometimes called the air.
11.
The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor;
“His very air.” as, the
air
of a youth; a heavy air
; a lofty air
. Shak.
12.
Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style.
It was communicated with the
air
of a secret. Pope.
12.
pl.
An artificial or affected manner; show of pride or vanity; haughtiness;
as, it is said of a person, he puts on
. airs
Thackeray.
14.
(Paint.)
(a)
The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed.
New Am. Cyc.
(b)
Carriage; attitude; action; movement;
as, the head of that portrait has a good
. air
Fairholt.
15.
(Man.)
The artificial motion or carriage of a horse.
☞ Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, air-bladder, or airbladder; air cell, air-cell, or aircell; air-pump, or airpump.
Air balloon
. See
– Balloon
. Air bath
. (a)
An apparatus for the application of air to the body.
(b)
An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature.
– Air castle
. See
– Castle in the air
, under Castle
. Air compressor
, a machine for compressing air to be used as a motive power.
– Air crossing
, a passage for air in a mine.
– Air cushion
, an air-tight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined air.
– Air fountain
, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed air.
– Air furnace
, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast.
– Air line
, a straight line; a bee line.
Hence Air-line
, Adj.
as,
. air-line
roadAir lock
(Hydr. Engin.)
, an intermediate chamber between the outer air and the compressed-air chamber of a pneumatic caisson.
Knight.
– Air port
(Nav.)
, a scuttle or porthole in a ship to admit air.
– Air spring
, a spring in which the elasticity of air is utilized.
– Air thermometer
, a form of thermometer in which the contraction and expansion of air is made to measure changes of temperature.
– Air threads
, gossamer.
– Air trap
, a contrivance for shutting off foul air or gas from drains, sewers, etc.; a stench trap.
– Air trunk
, a pipe or shaft for conducting foul or heated air from a room.
– Air valve
, a valve to regulate the admission or egress of air; esp. a valve which opens inwardly in a steam boiler and allows air to enter.
– Air way
, a passage for a current of air; as the air way of an air pump; an air way in a mine.
– In the air
. (a)
Prevalent without traceable origin or authority, as rumors.
(b)
Not in a fixed or stable position; unsettled.
(c)
(Mil.)
Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank;
– as, the army had its wing
. in the air
on the air
, currently transmitting; live; – used of radio and television broadcasts, to indicate that the images and sounds being picked up by cameras and microphones are being broadcast at the present moment.
In call-in programs where individuals outside a radio or television studio have telephoned into the station, when their voice is being directly broadcast, the host of the program commonly states “You’re
– on the air
.” as a warning that the conversation is not private. To take air
, to be divulged; to be made public.
– To take the air
, to go abroad; to walk or ride out.
Air
(âr)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Aired
(ârd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Airing
.] 1.
To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate;
as, to
. air
a roomIt were good wisdom . . . that the jail were
aired
. Bacon.
Were you but riding forth to
air
yourself. Shakespeare
2.
To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously;
as, to
. air
one's opinionAiring
a snowy hand and signet gem. Tennyson.
3.
To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming;
as, to
air
linen; to air
liquors.Webster 1828 Edition
Air
AIR
,Noun.
1.
The fluid which we breathe. Air is inodorous, invisible, insipid, colorless, elastic, possessed of gravity, easily moved, rarefied, and condensed.Atmospheric air is a compound fluid, consisting of oxygen gas, and nitrogen or azote; the proportion of each is stated by chimists differently; some experiments making the oxygen a twenty-eighth part of a hundred; others, not more than a twenty-third, or something less. The latter is probably the true proportion.
Oxygen gas is called vital air. The body of air surrounding the earth is called the atmosphere. The specific gravity of air is to that of water, nearly as 1 to 828. Air is necessary to life; being inhaled into the lungs, the oxygenous part is separated from the azotic, and it is supposed to furnish the body with heat and animation. It is the medium of sounds and necessary to combustion.
2.
Air in motion; a light breeze.Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play.
3.
Vent; utterance abroad; publication; publicity; as, a story has taken air. You gave it air before me.
Wind is used in like manner.
4.
A tune; a short song or piece of music adapted to words; also, the peculiar modulation of the notes, which gives music its character; as, a soft air. A song or piece of poetry for singing; also, the leading part of a tune, or that which is intended to exhibit the greatest variety of melody.5.
The peculiar look, appearance, manner or mien of a person; as, a heavy air; the air of youth; a graceful air; a lofty air. It is applied to manners or gestures, as well as to features.6.
Airs, in the plural, is used to denote an affected manner, show of pride, haughtiness; as, when it is said of a person, he puts on airs. The word is used also to express the artificial motions or carriage of a horse.7.
In painting, that which expresses the life of action; manner; gesture; attitude.8.
Any thing light or uncertain; that is light as air.Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks. Obs.
9.
Advice; intelligence; information. Obs.10.
Different states of air are characterized by different epithets; as, good air, foul air, morning air, evening air; and sometimes airs may have been used for ill-scent or vapor, but the use is not legitimate.To take the air, is to go abroad; to walk or ride a little distance.
To take air, is to be divulged; to be made public.
AIR
,Verb.
T.
1.
To expose to the air; to give access to the open air; to ventilate; as, to air clothes; to air a room.2.
To expose to heat; to warm; as, to air liquors.3.
To dry by a fire; to expel dampness; as, to air linen.Definition 2024
áir
áir
Irish
Noun
áir m
- inflection of ár (“slaughter, carnage; havoc, destruction”):
- vocative singular
- genitive singular
Noun
áir m
- inflection of ár (“are”):
- vocative singular
- genitive singular
- nominative plural
- dative plural
Mutation
| Irish mutation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | Eclipsis | with h-prothesis | with t-prothesis |
| áir | n-áir | háir | t-áir |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | |||