(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Air is the mixture of gases which forms the earth’s atmosphere and which we breathe.
Draughts help to circulate ~...
Keith opened the window and leaned out into the cold ~.
...water and ~ pollutants.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
The ~ is the space around things or above the ground.
Government troops broke up the protest by firing their guns in the ~...
N-SING: the N
3.
Air is used to refer to travel in ~craft.
Air travel will continue to grow at about 6% per year...
Casualties had to be brought to hospital by ~.
N-UNCOUNT: usu N n, by N
4.
If you say that someone or something has a particular ~, you mean that they give this general impression.
Jennifer regarded him with an ~ of amusement...
N-SING: with supp, oft N of n
5.
If you say that someone is putting on ~s or giving themselves ~s, you are criticizing them for behaving as if they are better than other people. (INFORMAL)
We’re poor and we never put on ~s.
N-PLURAL disapproval
6.
If a broadcasting company ~s a television or radio programme, they show it on television or broadcast it on the radio. (mainly AM)
Tonight PBS will ~ a documentary called ‘Democracy In Action’.
= broadcast
VERB: V n
~ing
...the ~ing of offensive material.
N-SING
7.
If you ~ your opinions, you make them known to people.
The whole issue was thoroughly ~ed at the meeting.
= express
VERB: be V-ed
8.
If you ~ a room or building, you let fresh ~ into it.
One day a week her mother systematically cleaned and ~ed each room.
VERB: V n
9.
If you ~ clothing or bedding, you put it somewhere warm to make sure that it is completely dry.
VERB
10.
If you do something to clear the ~, you do it in order to resolve any problems or disagreements that there might be.
...an inquiry just to clear the ~ and settle the facts of the case.
PHRASE: V inflects
11.
If something is in the ~ it is felt to be present, but it is not talked about.
There was great excitement in the ~...
PHRASE
12.
If someone is on the ~, they are broadcasting on radio or television. If a programme is on the ~, it is being broadcast on radio or television. If it is off the ~, it is not being broadcast.
She is going on the ~ as presenter of a new show...
This message did not reach me until after the programme went off the ~.
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v
13.
If someone or something disappears into thin ~, they disappear completely. If someone or something appears out of thin ~, they appear suddenly and mysteriously.
He had materialized out of thin ~; I had not seen or heard him coming.
PHRASE: PHR after v
14.
If you say that a decision or a situation is up in the ~, you mean that it has not yet been completely settled or planned.
He told reporters today that the president’s trip to Moscow is up in the ~.
= undecided
? settled
PHRASE: v-link PHR
15.
If you say that you are walking on ~ or floating on ~, you mean that you feel extremely happy about something.
As soon as I know I’m in the team it’s like I’m walking on ~.
PHRASE: V inflects