I. ˈār
variant of ere I
II. adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English (northern dialect) ar, are, from ar, adverb — more at ere
Scotland : early
III. a(a)(ə)r, ˈe(ə)r, ˈa(a)ə, ˈeə noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin aer, from Greek aēr air, mist; probably akin to Greek aētēs wind, gale — more at wind
1.
a. : the element described by early natural philosophers as having the qualities of moisture and heat
b. : a mixture of invisible odorless tasteless compressible elastic sound-transmitting and liquefiable gases composed chiefly of nitrogen and oxygen nearly in the ratio of four volumes to one together with 0.9 percent argon, about 0.03 percent carbon dioxide, varying amounts of water vapor, and minute quantities of helium, krypton, neon, and xenon, that surrounds the earth, half its mass being within four miles of the earth's surface, its pressure at sea level being about 14.7 pounds per square inch, and its weight being 1.293 grams per liter at 0° C and 760 mm. pressure
c. : the portion of the earth's atmosphere that immediately surrounds us and affects the senses
the tang of wood smoke is in the air — Corey Ford
the open air
the air was not so stale and sultry in the room as it was downstairs — Carson McCullers
d. obsolete : scent given off by exhalation into the atmosphere : odor
the air of rotting vegetation
e. : atmosphere 8
canvases with much light and air and color
f. : air in motion : a gentle breeze
we moved onward in light airs to the Narrows and dropped anchor — Kenneth Roberts
g. archaic : soft or faint breathing : breath
the least air of suspicion
h. archaic : gas
the generation of airs by explosions
i.
(1) : empty space
needle in air , I stopped what I was making — Eudora Welty
the victim of the hanging danced on air
(2) : nowhere
the figure of 10 billion dollars … was a nice round amount taken out of the air — J.P.Warburg
(3) slang : an obvious snub or a sudden severance of relations — usually used with the
I got the air last night — Gwethalyn Graham
she threatened to give me the air — Robert Graves
j. : air as a working fluid (as in ventilation systems, measuring and testing, fuel combustion, and pressure-operated devices) : compressed air
mine air shafts
air barometer
air adapters located between the compressor outlets and the combustion chambers
borings made with an air drill
k.
(1) : air as a field of operation for aircraft
the battle of the air
also : travel or transportation by aircraft
European editions which reached me by air — Marcia Davenport
air parcel post
(2) : aircraft
air attack
air patrol
(3) : aviation
air safety
(4) : air force
l. : the medium of transmission of radio waves ; also : radio , television
advertisers who use the air as a means for selling goods — C.A.Siepmann
— often used in the phrase on the air
he went on the air with the first of a series of Saturday-night broadcasts — Atlantic
2. : public utterance usually oral : publicity
he gave air to his opinion
3.
[French, from Old French]
a.
(1) : the look, appearance, or bearing of a person : attitude or action peculiar to or expressive of some personal quality or emotion : demeanor
sat rigidly erect with the air of a man accustomed to brief parleys — L.C.Douglas
(2) : an artificial or affected manner : show of style or vanity : haughtiness
to put on airs
to give oneself airs
(3) : the artificial motion or carriage of a horse
b. : outward appearance of a thing : apparent character : manner , style
my work may have an air of fiction — Van Wyck Brooks
a pioneer town with broad dusty streets, that has not yet acquired an air of permanence — Ivor Jones
c. : a surrounding or pervading influence or condition : atmosphere
the controversy which has been troubling the air about us — Victor Riesel
the place had a little of the air of a college dormitory after the final exams — John Dos Passos
steps it could take to clear the air considerably and give evidence before the world of its good intentions — New York Times
4. or ayre
[probably translation of Italian aria ]
a. Elizabethan & Jacobean music : an accompanied song or melody in strophic form
b. : the chief voice part or melody in choral or other part music
c. : tune , melody
d. : a separate instrumental composition or one of the optional movements of the classical suite typically of a lyric character
5.
[translation of New Greek aēr ]
: aer
6. : an airmail stamp
•
- in the air
- on air
- up in the air
IV. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to expose to the air for the purpose of drying or purifying : ventilate
air damp clothing
stench of whiskey and of things that were never aired — Ellen Glasgow
air the house
(2) archaic : to expose to heat so as to expel dampness or to warm
a brisk fire will soon air the room
b. : to expose to the air for the purpose of cooling or refreshing : exercise in the open air
she left the overheated room to air herself
take the dog out and air him
2.
a. : to display ostentatiously : to expose to public view
air the latest fashions
he constantly airs his stupidity
b. : to expose for the sake of public notice : make open to the public
he did not air his politics in the pulpit — K.B.Murdock
the issue will be thoroughly aired — Newsweek
3. : to transmit by radio or television : broadcast
programs which will be aired in the future — Musical Digest
intransitive verb
1. : to become exposed to the open air
your suit is airing on the line
2. : to become broadcast
the program airs daily
Synonyms: see express
V. ˈār noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English (northern dialect) are, ar, from Old English & Old Norse ār — more at oar
Scotland : oar
VI.
Scotland
variant of eyre
VII. ˈār noun
( -s )
Etymology: Old Norse eyrr gravelly bank; akin to Old English ēar earth, Old High German ōrah gravelly, Old Norse aurr sand, Gothic aura hjons graves, and perhaps to Old Irish ūr earth
Scotland : sandbank , beach
VIII. like air III
dialect
variant of are
IX.
variant of ary
X. noun
1. : a football offense utilizing primarily the forward pass
trailing by 20 points, the team took to the air
2. : an air-conditioning system
equipped with air