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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;
as, the
air
of a youth; a heavy
air
; a lofty
air
.
“His very 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
road
.
–
Air 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
.]
[See
Air
,
Noun.
, and cf.
Aërate
.]
1.
To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate;
as, to
air
a room
.
It 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 opinion
.
Airing
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.
[L. aer; Heb. to shine. The radical sense is to open, expand; whence clear; or to flow, to shoot, to radiate.]
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

air

air

See also: áir, -air, 'air, air., and àir.

English

Noun

air ‎(countable and uncountable, plural airs)

  1. (uncountable, historical, astrology, alchemy, sciences) The atmospheric substance above the surface of the earth which animals breathe, formerly considered to be a single substance, one of the four basic elements of ancient philosophy and one of the five basic elements of several Eastern traditions.
  2. (uncountable, physics, meteorology) That substance, now understood as the mixture of gases constituting the earth's atmosphere.
    The karate instructor said "air is the one thing you can't go five minutes without; when you spar, you have to remember to breathe."‎
  3. (usually with the) The apparently open space above the ground; the mass of this substance around the earth.
    The flock of birds took to the air.‎
    There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm.‎
  4. A breeze; a gentle wind.
  5. A feeling or sense.
    to give it an air of artistry and sophistication‎
    • November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
      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.
    • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,
      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.
  6. A sense of poise, graciousness, or quality.
    • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Volume I, Chapter 4:
      "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."
  7. (chiefly in the plural) Pretension; snobbishness; pretence that one is better than others.
    putting on airs‎
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      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.
  8. (music) A song, especially a solo; an aria.
    • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18:
      "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 […] "
  9. (informal) Nothing; absence of anything.
  10. An air conditioner or the processed air it produces. Can be a mass noun or a count noun depending on context; similar to hair.
    Could you turn on the air?‎
    Hey, did you mean to leave the airs on all week while you were on vacation?‎
  11. (obsolete, chemistry) Any specific gas.
  12. (snowboarding, skateboarding, motor sports) A jump in which one becomes airborne.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Look at pages starting with air.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

air ‎(third-person singular simple present airs, present participle airing, simple past and past participle aired)

  1. To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it.
  2. To let fresh air into a room or a building, to ventilate.
    It's getting quite stuffy in this room: let's open the windows and air it.
  3. To discuss varying viewpoints on a given topic.
    • 1917, National Geographic, v.31, March 1917:
      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.
  4. To broadcast, as with a television show.

Derived terms

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: looking · John · hour · #367: air · reason · feel · behind

Anagrams

Cornish

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [eːɹ]

Noun

air m

  1. air

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛːr/

Noun

air m ‎(plural airs, diminutive airtje n)

  1. air (pretension)

French

Etymology

From Latin āēr.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛʁ/

Noun

air m ‎(plural airs)

  1. air (gases of the atmosphere)
  2. tune, aria
  3. appearance
  4. air (pretension)

Related terms

Anagrams

Gothic

Romanization

air

  1. Romanization of 𐌰𐌹𐍂

Indonesian

air

Etymology

From Malay air, from Proto-Malayic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *wair, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi *wair, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /a.ʔɪr/

Noun

air

  1. water (clear liquid H₂O)
  2. water (mineral water)
  3. water (one of the four elements in alchemy)
  4. water (one of the five basic elements in some other theories)

Derived terms

Irish

Etymology 1

From Old Irish airid ‎(“ploughs, tills”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /aɾʲ/

Verb

air ‎(present analytic aireann, future analytic airfidh, verbal noun ar, past participle airthe)

  1. (literary, transitive, intransitive) plough
Conjugation

Noun

air m

  1. genitive singular of ar

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (stressed) /ɛɾʲ/, (unstressed) /əɾʲ/

Pronoun

air ‎(emphatic airsean)

  1. third-person singular masculine of ar (on him, on it m)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical Eclipsis with h-prothesis with t-prothesis
air n-air hair unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

  • "air" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
  • “3 airid” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

Malay

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *wair, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi *wair, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

air ‎(Jawi spelling اءير)

  1. water (liquid H2O)
    • 2012, Faridah Abdul Rashid, Research on the Early Malay Doctors : 1900-1957 : Malaya and Singapore
      loji rawatan air
      water treatment plant

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Indonesian: air

References

  • Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

Norman

Etymology

From Latin āēr.

Noun

air m ‎(plural airs)

  1. air (mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere)

Related terms

Old French

Alternative forms

  • aer
  • aïr (diaereses are used by some scholars)
  • ar
  • eir

Etymology

From Latin āēr.

Noun

air m ‎(oblique plural airs, nominative singular airs, nominative plural air)

  1. air (mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere)

Pohnpeian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɐir/

Verb

air

  1. (transitive) to strip off, as when stripping insulation off a wire
  2. (transitive) to wipe off a ropelike object by drawing it through one's hand or fingers
    Air mahs keleuen.‎
    Please wipe the sap off the hibiscus bast.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish for (compare Irish ar), from Proto-Celtic *uɸor (compare Welsh ar), from Proto-Indo-European *upér (compare Latin super, Ancient Greek ὑπέρ ‎(hupér), Old English ofer).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛrʲ/

Preposition

air

  1. on, upon
    air bàrr a' bhalla‎ ― on top of the wall
  2. of, concerning
    iomradh air do ghliocas‎ ― a report of thy wisdom
  3. for, on account of
    air an aobhar sin‎ ― for that reason
  4. by
    air ainm‎ ― by name

Usage notes

  • Air combines with personal pronouns to form prepositional pronouns. See Derived forms below. Specifically for air the third-person singular masculine pronoun is identical to the uninflected preposition, hence air = on or on him.
  • The word air and its derivates are also used in many idioms:
    Dè an t-ainm a tha ort?‎ ― What's your name? (What name is on you?)
    Tha an t-acras orm.‎ ― I'm hungry. (The hunger is on me.)

Derived terms

  • The following prepositional pronouns:
Person Number Prepositional pronoun Prepositional pronoun (emphatic)
Singular 1st orm ormsa
2nd ort ortsa
3rd m air airsan
3rd f oirre oirrese
Plural 1st oirnn oirnne
2nd oirbh oirbhse
3rd orra orrasan

Pronoun

air m

  1. third-person singular masculine of air (on him, on it m)

See also

References

  • Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, ISBN 0 901771 92 9
  • A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language (John Grant, Edinburgh, 1925, Complied by Malcolm MacLennan)

Welsh

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ai̯r/

Noun

air

  1. Soft mutation of gair.

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
gair air ngair unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Etymology

From Middle English air, eir ‎(“gas, atmosphere”), from Anglo-Norman aeir, eyer, Old French aire, eir, from Latin āēr, from Ancient Greek ἀήρ ‎(aḗr, “wind, atmosphere”). Displaced native Middle English luft, lift ‎(“air”) (from Old English lyft ‎(“air, atmosphere”)), Middle English loft ‎(“air, upper region”) (from Old Norse lopt ‎(“air, sky, loft”)). More at lift, loft.

Pronunciation

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