air
air — noun
- airsingular
- airsplural
1. the invisible blend of gases — mostly oxygen with nitrogen — which covers our pl
the invisible blend of gases — mostly oxygen with nitrogen — which covers our planet and which living creatures must pull into the lungs in order to stay alive.
Sven opened the kitchen window to let in some fresh air.
collocation: fresh air
The factory near our school pumps dirty smoke into the air.
collocation: into the air
Children at the daycare need clean air to stay healthy.
collocation: clean air
After climbing the steps, Grandpa stopped to catch his breath in the cool morning air.
- fresh air
- clean air
- polluted air
- breathe in the air
- atmosphere
more scientific or technical, refers to the whole layer of gas around Earth
- oxygen
only the gas we breathe in, not the full mixture
Usage Note
Almost always uncountable. Use 'the air' when speaking about the air around you in a specific place.
Common Mistakes
2. the open empty area up above us — for example, where birds fly past a window or
the open empty area up above us — for example, where birds fly past a window or a thrown ball travels before it lands.
When the team scored, Ines threw her cap high into the air.
into the air after a verb of throwing
A flock of geese passed over the lake, low in the air.
The kite from Mei's birthday gift stayed in the air for almost an hour.
stay/be + in the air
Heavy black smoke rose into the air above the burning warehouse.
- into the air
- in the air
- high in the air
- rise into the air
- ground
the surface of the Earth below us
Grammar Patterns
into the air
in the air
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1 (the gas itself): here the focus is on the open space above ground, not on what we breathe.
3. the height that a player or athlete reaches above the ground when jumping or sen
the height that a player or athlete reaches above the ground when jumping or sending a ball upward, often used in sports talk.
The young snowboarder caught huge air off the ramp at the X Games.
informal sports collocation: catch + air
Eitan's serve got plenty of air before dropping just inside the line.
get + air for ball flight
Skateboarders practise for hours to get more air on every jump.
The basketball player got so much air that his head almost reached the rim.
- get air
- catch air
- huge air
- big air
Grammar Patterns
get + air
catch + air
Usage Note
Mainly informal sports register (skateboarding, snowboarding, basketball). Often used with 'get', 'catch', or 'big/huge'.
4. the way of moving people or goods by using planes or other aircraft, rather than
the way of moving people or goods by using planes or other aircraft, rather than by road, ship, or rail.
The fresh tuna from Hokkaido was sent to Taipei by air the same morning.
by air for transport method
Travel by air has become much cheaper since low-cost airlines arrived in Asia.
travel by air as a noun phrase
The medical team reached the small island by air within two hours.
Companies often ship urgent parts by air to avoid long sea delays.
- by air
- travel by air
- send by air
- air freight
Grammar Patterns
by air
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the fixed pattern 'by air'. Distinguish from sense 2: here the meaning is the method of travel, not the physical space above ground.
Common Mistakes
5. a particular feeling, mood, or quality that a person, place, or thing seems to g
a particular feeling, mood, or quality that a person, place, or thing seems to give out — for example, a quiet street that feels mysterious, or a guest who looks confident.
The old library on Hill Road has an air of mystery, even on sunny afternoons.
an air of + abstract noun
Despite losing the match, the captain kept an air of calm in front of reporters.
an air of + emotion noun
Dr. Greta entered the courtroom with an air of quiet authority.
The empty fishing village had a sad air about it after the storm.
noun + air about it
- an air of mystery
- an air of confidence
- an air of authority
- an air of calm
- atmosphere
usually about a place rather than a person
- manner
focuses on how someone behaves, not the impression they give
- aura
stronger and more mysterious in tone
Grammar Patterns
an air of + noun
Usage Note
Almost always singular and used with 'an' plus an 'of'-phrase ('an air of confidence'). Distinguish from sense 1 (the gas): the wording 'an air of' is a strong signal of this metaphorical meaning.
Common Mistakes
6. the situation of currently being sent out by a radio station, TV channel, or sim
the situation of currently being sent out by a radio station, TV channel, or similar broadcaster, used in the fixed phrases 'on the air' and 'off the air'.
Stay quiet — Uri is on air in thirty seconds.
on air just before live broadcast
The morning show has been on the air every weekday since 1998.
on the air over a long period
The cooking program went off the air last summer because of low ratings.
go off the air
Once the host realised her mic was on air, she stopped the joke immediately.
- on the air
- off the air
- go on air
- go off air
- off air
not currently being broadcast
Grammar Patterns
on (the) air
off (the) air
Usage Note
Only used in the fixed expressions 'on (the) air' and 'off (the) air'. Distinguish from verb sense 3 ('to air a programme'): this noun sense names the state, not the action of broadcasting.
Common Mistakes
7. a short, often gentle musical piece with a clear melody, used mainly in older or
a short, often gentle musical piece with a clear melody, used mainly in older or classical music writing — for example, a slow song for one voice or one instrument.
Bach's Air on the G String is one of the most loved melodies in classical music.
title use: Air on the G String
The young soprano performed a soft Italian air at the recital.
The 18th-century composer wrote dozens of airs for solo violin.
An old Scottish air drifted from the parlour as we walked past.
- a Scottish air
- play an air
- compose an air
Usage Note
Literary and musicology register; mainly seen in pieces from the 17th to 19th century. In everyday English, use 'tune' or 'melody' instead.
air — verb
- airpresent simple I / you / we / they
- airs3rd person singular
- airing-ing form
- airedpast simple
1. to say what you think, feel, or are upset about, usually in front of other peopl
to say what you think, feel, or are upset about, usually in front of other people so that the matter becomes known.
Staff were invited to air their concerns at Friday's open meeting.
air + concerns (typical object)
Mrs. Wong used the town hall to air her views on the new highway.
air + views
Parents aired their grievances about school lunches in a long letter to the principal.
air + grievances (formal complaint)
The union leader aired his disappointment with the company's final offer.
- air your views
- air your concerns
- air a grievance
- air your opinion
Grammar Patterns
air + opinion/view/grievance/complaint
Usage Note
Object is almost always an abstract noun about feelings or complaints (views, opinions, grievances, concerns, frustrations). Formal register; rare in casual speech.
Common Mistakes
2. to let fresh air move through a room or around clothes, sheets, or other items s
to let fresh air move through a room or around clothes, sheets, or other items so that they smell better or become dry.
Grandma airs the spare bedroom every Saturday morning before guests arrive.
air + room
Eitan hung the wet towels on the balcony to air in the afternoon sun.
intransitive: leave items to air
Please air your hiking boots outside — they still smell of last week's mud.
The hotel staff air the guest rooms as soon as one set of visitors leaves.
- air a room
- air the bedding
- air your clothes
- air out (US)
- seal
to close off so no air can pass through
Grammar Patterns
air + room/clothes/bedding
air out (US)
Usage Note
American English often uses the phrasal form 'air out'. Subjects of the intransitive use are usually clothes, bedding, or shoes.
Common Mistakes
3. to send out a programme, episode, or interview through radio or television so th
to send out a programme, episode, or interview through radio or television so that listeners and viewers can receive it.
PBS will air the new documentary about coral reefs on Sunday at 9pm.
air + documentary
The interview with the former president aired last night on Channel 4.
intransitive: programme + air
The station decided not to air the violent scenes during family viewing hours.
negative: choose not to air
Reruns of the cooking show air every weekday afternoon on the food channel.
- air a programme
- air an episode
- first aired
- air an interview
- pull
to remove a programme from the schedule
Grammar Patterns
air + programme/episode/interview
Usage Note
Object is usually a programme, episode, advertisement, or interview. Distinguish from noun sense 6 ('on the air'): here 'air' is the action a station does; the noun sense names the state.
Common Mistakes
4. to choose not to reply to someone's message or call, in order to show that you a
to choose not to reply to someone's message or call, in order to show that you are upset or do not want to talk to them.
Uri has been airing me ever since I forgot his birthday last month.
informal: air + person
Don't air your sister just because she borrowed your sweater without asking.
Eitan aired all of Ines's texts during the week of their argument.
air + person's messages
It's rude to air your friends online when a real conversation would solve the problem.
- air someone
- air someone's texts
- leave someone on air
Grammar Patterns
air + person
leave somebody on air
Usage Note
Slang, mostly North American and Caribbean youth English. The object is the person being ignored, or that person's messages. Sometimes appears as 'leave someone on air'.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words relate to the gas around us, but they are not interchangeable. 'Air' is the everyday word for the mixture of gases we breathe; it works in casual speech, science class, and writing. 'Atmosphere' is more scientific or formal — it usually describes the whole layer of air around the Earth or another planet, as in 'the Earth's atmosphere'; it can also describe a mood (a 'friendly atmosphere'), where 'air' would sound odd. 'Oxygen' is only one of the gases inside air, so saying 'I need some oxygen' is more medical or dramatic than asking for 'fresh air'. 'Breeze' refers to air that is gently moving — you can feel a breeze on your face, but you cannot 'breathe a breeze'. Compare: 'Open the window and let some fresh air in' (everyday) vs 'Astronauts study the planet's atmosphere' (scientific) vs 'A cool breeze blew through the trees' (sensation of movement).
Common collocations
Etymology
'Air' came into English in the 1200s from Old French 'air', which itself developed from Latin 'aer' and Greek 'aēr', meaning the lower, breathable part of the sky. The same Greek root gives us 'aerial', 'aerobic', and 'aeroplane'. The musical sense (a short tune) entered English in the late 1500s through Italian 'aria', from the same Latin word — composers thought of a melody as something light that 'floated' like air. The figurative sense of a person's manner ('an air of confidence') also developed in the 1500s, by comparison with the way a smell or feeling seems to drift through the air around someone.
First known use
14th century
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb