INDEX:
1. the air that we breathe
2. when there is not enough fresh air
3. to let fresh air into a place
4. to fill something with air
5. to let the air out of something
RELATED WORDS
to travel by air : ↑ TRAVEL
see also
↑ BREATHE
↑ HOT
↑ WEATHER
↑ FEEL
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1. the air that we breathe
▷ air /eəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
the air that surrounds us, which we breathe in order to live :
▪ Alex stood shivering in the cold, damp air.
▪ the clean air of the countryside
air pollution
▪ Cars are a major cause of air pollution.
in the air
▪ There was a strong smell of burning in the air.
▷ fresh air /ˌfreʃ ˈeəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
clean air that you get outdoors, considered to be more pleasant and healthy than air that you get inside buildings, in busy cities etc :
▪ Open the window and let’s get some fresh air in here!
▪ I’m just going outside for a breath of fresh air.
▪ Fresh air isn’t necessarily better for you, but it will certainly make you feel better.
2. when there is not enough fresh air
▷ stuffy /ˈstʌfi/ [adjective]
a room or building that is stuffy does not have enough fresh air, often because it is small or there are too many people in it :
▪ The hotel room was hot and stuffy, and I woke up with a terrible headache.
▪ It’s getting stuffy in here -- shall I open the window?
▪ I wish I could escape from this stuffy little office.
▷ airless /ˈeəʳləs/ [adjective]
a room or building that is airless feels like it does not have enough air in it for you to breathe properly :
▪ The classroom was airless and uncomfortably hot.
▪ Hales lived in a tiny, airless room with one small window that wouldn’t open.
▷ stifling /ˈstaɪflɪŋ/ [adjective]
very hot and uncomfortable, and without enough air for you to breathe properly :
▪ It was stifling in there; I was glad to get out.
▪ The heat in the narrow packed streets was stifling.
stifling hot
▪ The room was stifling hot.
3. to let fresh air into a place
▷ air /eəʳ/ [transitive verb] British /air out [transitive phrasal verb] American /ˌeər ˈaʊt/
to let fresh air into a room or building, especially one that has been closed or not used for a while :
▪ She was opening windows and shutters to air the empty rooms.
▪ The bedrooms are aired and cleaned every morning.
air out something/air something out
▪ I opened all the windows, hoping that I could air the place out before the guests came.
▷ ventilated /ˈventɪleɪtəd, ˈventəleɪtədǁ-tl-eɪt-/ [adjective]
well/badly/poorly/adequately etc ventilated
if a room or building is well ventilated, fresh air can come in and bad air, smoke etc can go out. If a room or building is badly ventilated, not enough fresh air can come in and bad air, smoke etc cannot go out :
▪ Workrooms must be adequately ventilated by the circulation of fresh air.
▪ Store the potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space.
▪ Working in a poorly ventilated area will affect your health.
4. to fill something with air
▷ blow up /ˌbləʊ ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to fill something with air or gas, for example a tyre or a balloon :
blow up something/blow something up
▪ Come and help me blow up the balloons.
▪ This tyre’s really flat - could you blow it up for me?
▷ inflate /ɪnˈfleɪt/ [intransitive/transitive verb] formal
if you inflate something such as a tyre or balloon or it inflates, you fill it with air :
▪ Tyres should always be inflated to the correct pressure.
▪ You can inflate the mattress in 30 seconds, using a foot pump.
▪ Her life jacket failed to inflate.
▷ pump up /ˌpʌmp ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to fill something with air using a pump (=a machine that forces air into something) :
pump up something/pump something up
▪ Your back tire was a little flat so I pumped it up.
5. to let the air out of something
▷ let the air out of /ˌlet ði ˈeər aʊt əv/ [verb phrase] British
to let the air come out of something, for example a tyre or a balloon :
▪ Lisa let the air out of the balloon.
▷ let down /ˌlet ˈdɑʊn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to deliberately let the air come out of something, especially a tyre :
let something down
▪ Someone let the tires down on my bike!
▪ The boys let his tyres down while he was in the headteacher’s office.
▷ deflate /ˌdiːfleɪt, dɪ-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if something filled with air deflates, the air comes out of it; if you deflate something, you let the air out of it :
▪ The balloon gradually lost altitude as we deflated it and came in to land.
▪ He woke up aching all over - somehow his airbed had deflated in the night and there was nothing to cushion him from the cold ground.