Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - air

(airs, airing, aired) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. Air is the mixture of gases which forms the earth’s atmosphere and which we breathe. Draughts help to circulate air... Keith opened the window and leaned out into the cold air. ...water and air pollutants. N-UNCOUNT 2. The air is the space around things or above the ground. Government troops broke up the protest by firing their guns in the air... N-SING: the N 3. Air is used to refer to travel in aircraft. Air travel will continue to grow at about 6% per year... Casualties had to be brought to hospital by air. N-UNCOUNT: usu N n, by N 4. If you say that someone or something has a particular air, you mean that they give this general impression. Jennifer regarded him with an air of amusement... N-SING: with supp, oft N of n 5. If you say that someone is putting on airs or giving themselves airs, you are criticizing them for behaving as if they are better than other people. (INFORMAL) We’re poor and we never put on airs. N-PLURAL c darkgreen]disapproval 6. If a broadcasting company airs a television or radio programme, they show it on television or broadcast it on the radio. (mainly AM) Tonight PBS will air a documentary called ‘Democracy In Action’. = broadcast VERB: V n • airing ...the airing of offensive material. N-SING 7. If you air your opinions, you make them known to people. The whole issue was thoroughly aired at the meeting. = express VERB: be V-ed 8. If you air a room or building, you let fresh air into it. One day a week her mother systematically cleaned and aired each room. VERB: V n 9. If you air clothing or bedding, you put it somewhere warm to make sure that it is completely dry. VERB 10. If you do something to clear the air, you do it in order to resolve any problems or disagreements that there might be. ...an inquiry just to clear the air and settle the facts of the case. PHRASE: V inflects 11. If something is in the air it is felt to be present, but it is not talked about. There was great excitement in the air... PHRASE 12. If someone is on the air, they are broadcasting on radio or television. If a programme is on the air, it is being broadcast on radio or television. If it is off the air, it is not being broadcast. She is going on the air as presenter of a new show... This message did not reach me until after the programme went off the air. PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v 13. If someone or something disappears into thin air, they disappear completely. If someone or something appears out of thin air, they appear suddenly and mysteriously. He had materialized out of thin air; I had not seen or heard him coming. PHRASE: PHR after v 14. If you say that a decision or a situation is up in the air, you mean that it has not yet been completely settled or planned. He told reporters today that the president’s trip to Moscow is up in the air. = undecided ? settled PHRASE: v-link PHR 15. If you say that you are walking on air or floating on air, you mean that you feel extremely happy about something. As soon as I know I’m in the team it’s like I’m walking on air. PHRASE: V inflects