affair
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English afere, affere, from Old French afaire, from a- + faire (“to do”); Latin ad- + facere to do. See fact, and confer ado.
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
affair (plural affairs)
- That which is done or is to be done; matter; concern; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public; — often in the plural.
- a difficult affair to manage
- Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely.
- an affair of honor, i. e., a duel
- an affair of love, i. e., an intrigue.
- (military) An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.
- A material object (vaguely designated).
- He used a hook-shaped affair with a long handle to unlock the car.
- 1907, Robert Chambers, chapter 1/2, The Younger Set[1]:
- The house was a big elaborate limestone affair, evidently new. Winter sunshine sparkled on lace-hung casement, on glass marquise, and the burnished bronze foliations of grille and door.
- An adulterous relationship. (from affaire de cœur.)
Translations [edit]
that which is done or is to be done
any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely
action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle
material object (vaguely designated)
adulterous relationship
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- affair in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
