Definify.com

Definition 2024

put_on_airs

put on airs

English

Verb

put on airs

(idiomatic) To become haughty, to assume a pretentious manner.
- 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit:
  Even Timothy, the jointed wooden lion, who was made by the disabled soldiers, and should have had broader views, put on airs and pretended he was connected with Government.

Translations

become haughty, assume a haughty manner

Chinese:
Mandarin: 擺架子 (zh), 摆架子 (zh) ‎(bǎijiàzi), 擺譜兒 (zh), 摆谱儿 (zh) ‎(bǎipǔr), 拿大 (zh) ‎(nádà)
Finnish: mahtailla (fi)
French: donner des airs, prendre des airs (fr)
German: sich aufspielen (de)
Icelandic: gera sig merkilegan, setja upp hátíðarsvip, snúa upp á sig

Italian: darsi delle arie
Japanese: 体裁振る ‎(ていさいぶる, teisai-buru), 見栄をはる ‎(みえをはる, mie-o haru)
Norman: faithe la reine
Portuguese: empinar o nariz, erguer o nariz
Russian: ва́жничать (ru) ‎(vážničatʹ)
Spanish: darse aires

See also

lord it over

Anagrams

Proustian, supinator