air

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.2.1 Homophones 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Related terms 1.3.3 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Translations 2 Dutch 2.1 Pronunciation 2.2 Noun 3 French 3.1 Pronunciation 3.2 Noun 3.2.1 Related terms 4 Indonesian 4.1 Etymology 4.2 Noun 5 Malay 5.1 Noun 6 Scottish Gaelic 6.1 Pronunciation 6.2 Preposition 6.2.1 Usage notes 6.2.2 Derived terms 6.3 Pronoun 6.3.1 See also 6.4 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Anglo-Norman aeir, eyer (etc.), Old French aire, eir, from Latin āēr, from Ancient Greek ἀήρ (aér), “‘wind, atmosphere’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ɛə/, SAMPA: /E@/
• (US) enPR: âr, IPA: /ɛɹ/, SAMPA: /Er/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ɛə(r)

[edit] Homophones

• Ayr
• Eire (one pronunciation)
• ere
• heir

[edit] Noun

air (countable and uncountable; plural airs)

1. (uncountable, historical, astrology, alchemy, sciences) The atmospheric substance above the surface of the earth which animals breathe, formerly considered to be a single substance, one of the four basic elements of ancient philosophy and one of the five basic elements of Eastern traditions.
2. (uncountable, physics, meteorology) Now understood as the mixture of gases comprising the earth's atmosphere.

   The karate instructor said "air is the one thing you can't go five minutes without; when you spar, you have to remember to breathe."

3. (usually with the) The apparently open space above the ground; the mass of this substance around the earth.

   The flock of birds took to the air.

   There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm.

4. A feeling or sense.

   ...to give it an air of artistry and sophistication.

5. (obsolete) A sense of poise, graciousness, or quality.
   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Volume I, Chapter 4:

     "He is very plain, undoubtedly--remarkably plain:--but that is nothing compared with his entire want of gentility. I had no right to expect much, and I did not expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air. I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility."

6. (usually plural) Pretension; snobbishness; pretence that one is better than others.
   • ...putting on airs...
7. (music) A song, especially a solo; an aria.
   • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18:

     "If I," said Mr. Collins, "were so fortunate as to be able to sing, I should have great pleasure, I am sure, in obliging the company with an air; for I consider music as a very innocent diversion, and perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman..."

8. (uncountable) An air conditioner or the processed air it produces.

   Could you turn on the air?

9. (obsolete, chemistry) Any specific gas.
10. (snowboarding, skateboarding) A jump in which one becomes airborne.

[edit] Derived terms

Look at pages starting with air.

[edit] Related terms

• aerate
• aero-
• aria

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to air (third-person singular simple present airs, present participle airing, simple past and past participle aired)

1. To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it.
2. To let fresh air into a room or a building, to ventilate.

   It's getting quite stuffy in this room: let's open the windows and air it.

3. To discuss varying viewpoints on a given topic.
   • 1917, National Geographic, v.31, March 1917:

     Thus, in spite of all opposition, the rural and urban assemblies retained the germ of local government, and in spite of the dual control, as the result of which much of their influence was nullified, they did have a certain value in airing abuses and suggesting improvements.

4. To broadcast, as with a television show.

[edit] Translations

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[edit] Dutch

[edit] Pronunciation

•  audio^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

air m.

1. air (pretension)

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[edit] French

[edit] Pronunciation

•  audio^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

air m. (plural airs)

1. air (gases of the atmosphere)
2. tune
3. appearance
4. air (pretension)

[edit] Related terms

• avoir l'air (to seem)

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[edit] Indonesian

[edit] Etymology

Common Malayo-Polynesian, compare wai.

[edit] Noun

air

1. water

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[edit] Malay

Wikipedia ^ms

[edit] Noun

air

1. water (clear liquid H₂O)

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[edit] Scottish Gaelic

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /er/

[edit] Preposition

air

1. on, upon

   air bàrr a' bhalla - on top of the wall

2. of, concerning

   iomradh air do ghliocas - a report of thy wisdom

3. for, on account of

   air an aobhar sin - for that reason

4. by

   air ainm - by name

[edit] Usage notes

• Air combines with personal pronouns to form prepositional pronouns. See Derived forms below. Specifically for air the third person singular masculine pronoun is identical to the uninflected preposition, hence air = on or on him.
• The word air and its derivates are also used in many idioms:

  De an t-ainm a tha ort? - what's your name? (Literally: what name is on you?)

  Tha an t-acras orm. - I'm hungry. (Literally: the hunger is on me.)

[edit] Derived terms

• air dheireadh
• air sgàth
• airson
• The following prepositional pronouns:

Combining pronoun	Prepositional pronoun	Prepositional pronoun (emphatic)
mi	orm	ormsa
tu	ort	ortsa
e	air	airsan
i	oirre	oirrese
sinn	oirnn	oirnne
sibh	oirbh	oirbhse
iad	orra	orrasan

[edit] Pronoun

air

1. on him
2. on it

[edit] See also

• prepositional pronoun

[edit] References

• The Illustrated Gaelic-English Dictionary (Birlinn Limited, 1901-1911, Compiled by Edward Dwelly)
• A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language (John Grant, Edinburgh, 1925, Complied by Malcolm MacLennan)