air - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Clipping of English Airoran.

air

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Airoran.

A hot air balloon partially inflated with air.

The composition of air.

Middle English aire

English air

From Middle English aire, from Old French air, from Latin āēr, from Ancient Greek ἀήρ (aḗr). Displaced native Old English lyft. More at lift, loft.

air (countable and uncountable, plural airs)

  1. (uncountable) The substance constituting Earth's atmosphere: a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and various trace gases.
    This drill runs on compressed air.
    As you ascend, the air gets thinner.
    1. The substance of the atmosphere seen as an agency of freshness.
      I'm going outside to get some air.
      Open the window and let some air into the room.
    2. (historical, philosophy, alchemy) One of the four elements of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
      Synonym: wind
    3. (historical, medicine) A local environment or atmosphere, in the context of its effects on behavior, health, weather, etc.
      • 1991 May 12, “Kidnapped!”, in Jeeves and Wooster, Series 2, Episode 5:
        Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.
        B. Wooster: Hm? What happened in 1776, Jeeves?
        Jeeves: I prefer not to dwell on it, if it's convenient to you, sir.
        There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm.
  2. (uncountable, loosely) The substance of the atmosphere on a planet other than Earth.
    The air on Mars is very thin and consists mostly of carbon dioxide.
  3. (uncountable, usually with the) The apparently open space above the ground which this substance fills, (historical) formerly thought to be limited by the firmament but (meteorology) now considered to be surrounded by the near-vacuum of outer space.
    The flock of birds took to the air.
  4. A breeze; a gentle wind.
  5. A feeling or sense.
    • 1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:
      The girl stooped to pluck a rose, and as she bent over it, her profile was clearly outlined. She held the flower to her face with a long-drawn inhalation, then went up the steps, crossed the piazza, opened the door without knocking, and entered the house with the air of one thoroughly at home.
    • 1951 October, H. A. Vallance, “Across Denmark by Lyntog”, in Railway Magazine, page 658:
      Even at the busiest periods, an air of quiet orderliness pervades the hall, and the first impression gained by the traveller is one of efficiency, neatness and cleanliness.
    • 1968, Robert Conquest, “The Purge Begins”, in The Great Terror: Stalin's Purge of the Thirties‎[3], Macmillan Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 77:
      But the dull, cool, calculating effect given cumulatively through Stalin’s long career, the air of a great glacier moving slowly and by the easiest path to overwhelm some Alpine valley, is only part of the picture. At various times - and especially in his early career - the calm of his general manner was broken, and expression given to the driving emotions that possessed him.
    • November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
      Smalling’s quick one-two of yellow cards towards the end of the first half had left an air of inevitability about what would follow and, if anything, it was probably a surprise that City restricted themselves to Sergio Agüero’s goal bearing in mind another of United’s defenders, Marcos Rojo, was taken off on a stretcher early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder.
    1. A sense of poise, graciousness, or quality.
      • 1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter 4, in Emma: […], volume I, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC:
        "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."
    2. (usually in the plural) Pretension; snobbishness; pretence that one is better than others.
      putting on airs
  6. (music) A melody or song, especially a solo; an aria.
    • 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:
      "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 […] "
    • 1850, T. S. Arthur, “Deacon Smith and his Violin”, in Sketches of Life and Character‎[4], Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 70:
      The lad, his son, had obtained a Jew's-harp, and learned to play upon it the profane airs of "Yankee Doodle," "Hail Columbia," "St. Patrick's Day," and "Auld Lang Syne."
  7. (informal) Nothing; absence of anything.
  8. (countable, uncountable) An air conditioning system.
    Could you turn on the air?
    Hey, did you mean to leave the airs on all week while you were on vacation?
  9. (obsolete: chemistry) Any specific gas.
  10. (uncountable, snowboarding, skateboarding, motor sports) The state of being briefly airborne during a jump.
  11. A television or radio signal; (by extension) media broadcasts in general.
  1. (uncountable) Publicity.

English terms starting with “air”

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

  1. (transitive) To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it.
    I'll hang these clothes on the rack to air them.
  2. (transitive) 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. (transitive) To make public (an opinion, concern, issue, secret, differences, etc); to present to public view (and sometimes discussion).
    Residents used the public meeting to air their concerns about the poor state of the roads.
    • 2010 February 11, Rosie Swash, “John Mayer apologises after using N-word in Playboy interview”, in The Guardian‎[5]:
      John Mayer has apologised for using a racist epithet in a recent interview with Playboy magazine, after a number of prominent black musicians aired their disapproval.
    • 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. (transitive) To broadcast (a television show etc.).
    The BBC decided not to air the controversial episode.
  5. (intransitive) To be broadcast.
    This game show first aired in the 1990s and is still going today.
  6. (transitive, British, MLE, slang) To ignore (a person).
    Why is this girl airing me?

to discuss varying viewpoints

to broadcast

air

  1. Pronunciation spelling of are.

air class V gender m

  1. areca palm

From Old Cornish aer, aƿui(r), borrowed from Latin aer.

air m

  1. air

Borrowed from French air, from Middle French air, from Old French air, from Latin āēr.

air m (plural airs, diminutive airtje n)

  1. air, pretension or pretentious attitude
  2. tune, melody

Inherited from Old French air, aire, from Latin āēr.

air m (plural airs)

  1. air (gases of the atmosphere)
    trou d'air ― air pocket
    résistance de l'air ― air resistance
  2. tune, aria
  3. appearance
    avoir l'air ― to appear, to look, to seem
    air de famille ― family resemblance
  4. air (pretension)
    prendre des airs ― to put on airs
    se donner des airs ― give oneself airs

air

  1. romanization of 𐌰𐌹𐍂

air

Inherited from Malay air, from Proto-Malayic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

air (uncountable)

  1. water (clear liquid H2O)
  2. mineral water
    Synonym: air mineral
  3. (colloquial) a cockfight round, which begins by spraying water at the cock

From Old Irish airid (“ploughs, tills”).

air (present analytic aireann, future analytic airfidh, verbal noun ar, past participle airthe)

  1. (literary, ambitransitive) plough
    Is brea le mo dhuine a bheith ag ar. ― Your man loves to be ploughing.

Conjugation of air (first conjugation – A)

indicative singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
present airim aireann tú; airir† aireann sé, sí airimid; aireann muid aireann sibh aireann siad; airid† a aireann; a aireas airtear
past d'air mé; d'aireas /air mé‡; aireas‡ d'air tú; d'airis /air tú‡; airis‡ d'air sé, sí /air sé, sí‡ d'aireamar; d'air muid /aireamar‡; air muid‡ d'air sibh; d'aireabhair /air sibh‡; aireabhair‡ d'air siad; d'aireadar /air siad‡; aireadar‡ a d'air aireadh;haireadh†
past habitual d'airinn /airinn‡ d'airteá /airteᇠd'aireadh sé, sí /aireadh sé, sí‡ d'airimis; d'aireadh muid /airimis‡; aireadh muid‡ d'aireadh sibh /aireadh sibh‡ d'airidís; d'aireadh siad /airidís‡; aireadh siad‡ a d'aireadh d'airtí /airtí‡
singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
future airfidh mé; airfead airfidh tú; airfir† airfidh sé, sí airfimid; airfidh muid airfidh sibh airfidh siad; airfid† a airfidh; a airfeas airfear
conditional d'airfinn /airfinn‡ d'airfeá /airfeᇠd'airfeadh sé, sí /airfeadh sé, sí‡ d'airfimis; d'airfeadh muid /airfimis‡; airfeadh muid‡ d'airfeadh sibh /airfeadh sibh‡ d'airfidís; d'airfeadh siad /airfidís‡; airfeadh siad‡ a d'airfeadh d'airfí /airfí‡
subjunctive singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
present go n-aire mé; go n-airead† go n-aire tú; go n-airir† go n-aire sé, sí go n-airimid; go n-aire muid go n-aire sibh go n-aire siad; go n-airid† — go n-airtear
past dá n-airinn dá n-airteá dá n-aireadh sé, sí dá n-airimis; dá n-aireadh muid dá n-aireadh sibh dá n-airidís; dá n-aireadh siad — dá n-airtí
imperative singular plural direct relative autonomous
first second third first second third
— airim air aireadh sé, sí airimis airigí; airidh† airidís — airtear
past participle airthe
verbal noun ar

† archaic or dialect form
‡ dependent form

air m

  1. genitive singular of ar

air (emphatic airsean)

  1. third-person singular masculine of ar (on him, on it m)

Mutated forms of air

radical eclipsis with _h_-prothesis with _t_-prothesis
air n-air hair not applicable

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

From Proto-Malayic *air, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ.

air

  1. water
    air manis ― sweet water

air

  1. woman

From Proto-Finnic *airo.

air

  1. oar
    souta airoil ― to scull with oars
Declension of air (type 4a/levo, no gradation)
singular plural
nominative air airod
genitive airon airoiden
partitive airod airoid
essive airon airoin
instructive — airoin
inessive airos airoiš
elative airospiä airoišpiä
illative airoh airoihe
adessive airol airoil
ablative airolpiä airoilpiä
allative airole airoile
abessive airota airoita
prolative airoči airoiči
translative airoks airoikš
additive airohpiä airoihepiä
*) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl)

Inherited from Proto-Malayic *air (cf. Iban ai and Minangkabau aia), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiʀ (cf. Buginese waé and Cia-Cia 에에).

First attested in the Talang Tuo inscription, 684 AD, as Old Malay [script needed] (āir).

air (Jawi spelling اٴير, uncountable)

  1. water
    1. A inorganic compound (of molecular formula H2O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gaseous form is steam.
      1. The liquid form of this substance: liquid H2O.
      2. A serving of liquid water.
    2. Water in a body; an area of open water.
    3. A combination of water and other substance(s).
  2. drink
    Synonym: minuman
    1. A beverage.
    2. Drinks in general; something to drink.
Regional synonyms of air (“water”)
view map; edit data
Region Variety Words
Brunei Bruneian standard air
Bruneian dialect aying, aing
Kedayan aying
Indonesia Indonesian standard air
Ambonese aer
Balinese aer
Bangka aek, aik
Deli aer
Jambi aek
Ketapang air
Langkat aer
Makassar aer, aerek
North Moluccan aer
Manado aer
Medan aer
Papuan air
Pontianak aek
Riau ae, aie
Sambas aek
Kutai Tenggarong aer
Ternate aer
Malaysia Johor ae
Kedah ayaq
Kelantan ae
Melaka ae
Negeri Sembilan ae
Pahang ae
Penang ayaq
Sabah air
Singapore Singaporean standard air
Baba ayer
Thailand Pattani อา-เอ
Overseas Cape ai
Cocos aer
This table shows various regional forms in the Malay language. The classification is based on geographical distribution.

From Latin āēr.

air m (plural airs)

  1. air (mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere)

From Proto-Brythonic *aɨr ("battle, carnage"), from Proto-Celtic *agrom ("slaughter, battle"). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵro- (“hunt”), from *h₂eǵ- (“to drive”). Cognates include Old Cornish hair, Old Welsh hair and Middle Welsh aer

air

  1. battle, slaughter; carnage

From Latin āēr.

air oblique singular, m (oblique plural airs, nominative singular airs, nominative plural **air)

  1. air (mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere)

From the same root as ar (“for”, preposition).

air

  1. for (because, since)

For quotations using this term, see Citations:air.

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wahiR, compare Malay air.

air

  1. water
    Synonyms: bañu, jahnī, jala, salila, tīrtha, toya, uda, wari, wwe

air

  1. (transitive) to strip off, as when stripping insulation off a wire
  2. (transitive) to wipe off a ropelike object by drawing it through one's hand or fingers
    Air mahs keleuen.
    Please wipe the sap off the hibiscus bast.

From Middle English air, from Old French air, from Latin āēr.

air (uncountable)

  1. air, atmosphere

From Icelandic ar (“mote, speck of dust”).

air (plural airs)

  1. (Insular Scots, Caithness, Banff) A small quantity, particle, morsel; pinch (of snuff); whiff; taste

Perhaps from air. See above.

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

  1. (Orkney) to taste

From Middle English ore, from Old English ār, from Proto-West Germanic *airu.

air (plural airs)

  1. (Orkney, Caithness, Northern Scots) oar

Derived from Old Norse eyrr.

air (plural airs)

  1. (Insular Scots) gravelly beach

From Middle English eire, from Old French eire, from Latin iter (“journey”).

air (plural airs)

  1. (obsolete) eyre

From Middle English er, from Old English ǣr, from Proto-West Germanic *airi.

air (not comparable)

  1. early

air (not comparable)

  1. early

From a conflation of three Old Irish prepositions:

  1. ar, air (“for”) (triggering lenition), from Proto-Celtic *ɸare (“in front of”), from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂i. Cognates include Ancient Greek παρά (pará, “beside”) and English fore.
  2. for (“on”) (triggering no mutation), from Proto-Celtic *uɸer (“over, on”) (compare Welsh ar, Breton war), from Proto-Indo-European *upér (compare Latin super, Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér), Old English ofer).
  3. íar (“after”) (triggering eclipsis), from Proto-Celtic *eɸirom (“after, behind”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi.

Cognates include Irish ar and Manx er.

air (+ dative, triggers lenition in certain established phrases)

  1. on, upon
    air bàrr a' bhalla ― on top of the wall
    tha mi air an rathad ― I'm on my way
    air m' fhacal, chan innis mi dhi ― on my word, I will not tell her
    beag air bheag ― little by little (literally, “little on little”)
  2. in (certain geographical contexts)
    air a' Ghàidhealtachd ― in the Highlands
    air an dùthaich ― in the countryside
  3. of, concerning
    iomradh air do ghliocas ― a report of thy wisdom
  4. by
    air ainm ― by name
  5. from
    theich an duine orm ― the man fled from me
  6. (idiomatic) Used to indicate inalienable possession, feelings and minor medical conditions
    dè an t-ainm a tha ort? ― what's your name? (literally, “what the name that is on you?”)
    tha an t-acras orm ― I'm hungry (literally, “the hunger is on me”)
    tha falt dubh orra ― they have black hair (literally, “black hair is on them”)
    tha an cnatan oirre ― she has a bad cold (literally, “the cold is on her”)
  7. for, on account of, by means of, through, within (triggers lenition)
    air an adhbhar sin ― for that reason
    air bheag de làithean ― within a few days
  8. Used with a verbal noun to indicate a state (triggers lenition)
    bha mi air bhoil às dèidh dhomh siud fhaicinn ― I was enraged after I saw that
    bhiomaid air chall nan robh sinn anns a' choille ud ― we'd be lost if we were in that forest
    thèid mi air chèilidh air mo sheanmhair ― I will visit my grandmother
  9. must, have to
    tha e air ri phàigheadh ― he has to pay (literally, “it is on him to pay”)
  10. (in one common phrase) or (triggers lenition)
    rud air choreigin ― something or other
  11. Used with a verbal noun to indicate the perfect tense; after
    tha mi air an obair a dhèanamh ― I have done the work (literally, “I am after the work its doing”)
    bha iad uile air falbh sa mhadainn ― they had all left in the morning (literally, “they were all after leaving in the morning”)
    bhithinn air faighinn às leis ― I would have gotten away with it (literally, “I would be after getting away with it”)
  12. however, in spite of, despite
    air cho fuar 's gum biodh an oidhche, rachainn ann ― however cold the night might be, I would go there

air

  1. third-person singular masculine of air: on him, on it

Reduced form of thar.

air (+ genitive, triggers lenition)

  1. form of thar; rarely used outside of the old counting system
    deich air fhichead ― thirty (literally, “ten over twenty”)
    a' dol air beinn ― going over a mountain
  1. ^ Mac Gill-Fhinnein, Gordon (1966), Gàidhlig Uidhist a Deas, Dublin: Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath
  2. ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1941), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. II: The dialects of Skye and Ross-shire, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, page 54
  3. ^ John MacPherson (1945) The Gaelic dialect of North Uist (Thesis)‎[1], Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh
  4. ^ Rev. C. M. Robertson (1902), “Skye Gaelic”, in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Volume XXIII: 1898-99‎[2], Gaelic Society of Inverness, pages 54-88
  5. ^ Wentworth, Roy (2003), Gaelic Words and Phrases From Wester Ross / Faclan is Abairtean à Ros an Iar, Inverness: CLÀR, →ISBN
  6. ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1937), The dialect of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
  7. ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1940), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. I: The dialects of the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, page 191
  8. ^ Oftedal, M. (1956), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
  9. ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1940), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. I: The dialects of the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, page 107

From Proto-Finnic *airo.

air

  1. oar
Inflection of air (inflection type 1/ilo)
nominative sing. air
genitive sing. airon
partitive sing. airod
partitive plur. airoid
singular plural
nominative air airod
accusative airon airod
genitive airon airoiden
partitive airod airoid
essive-instructive airon airoin
translative airoks airoikš
inessive airos airoiš
elative airospäi airoišpäi
illative airoho airoihe
adessive airol airoil
ablative airolpäi airoilpäi
allative airole airoile
abessive airota airoita
comitative aironke airoidenke
prolative airodme airoidme
approximative I aironno airoidenno
approximative II aironnoks airoidennoks
egressive aironnopäi airoidennopäi
terminative I airohosai airoihesai
terminative II airolesai airoilesai
terminative III airossai —
additive I airohopäi airoihepäi
additive II airolepäi airoilepäi

air

  1. soft mutation of gair