Word: air Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewsér Proto-Hellenic *auhḗr Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)bor. Latin āēr Old French airbor. 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. Pronunciation: /ˈɛə̯/, [ˈɛə̯], /ˈɛː/, [ˈɛː], /ˈɜː/ 1. The substance constituting Earth's atmosphere: a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and various trace gases. Labels: uncountable Example: This drill runs on compressed air. Example: As you ascend, the air gets thinner. 2. The substance constituting Earth's atmosphere: a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and various trace gases. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I'm going outside to get some air. Example: Open the window and let some air into the room. 3. The substance constituting Earth's atmosphere: a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and various trace gases. Labels: countable, historical, uncountable 4. The substance constituting Earth's atmosphere: a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and various trace gases. Labels: countable, historical, uncountable Example: 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. Example: There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm. 5. The substance of the atmosphere on a planet other than Earth. Labels: broadly, uncountable Example: The air on Mars is very thin and consists mostly of carbon dioxide. 6. 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. Labels: uncountable, usually Example: The flock of birds took to the air. 7. A breeze; a gentle wind. Labels: countable, uncountable 8. A feeling or sense. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: to give it an air of artistry and sophistication Example: He spoke with an air of finality. 9. A feeling or sense. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: "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." 10. A feeling or sense. Labels: countable, plural-normally, uncountable Example: putting on airs Example: He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement. 11. A melody or song, especially a solo; an aria. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: "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[…]" Example: 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." 12. Nothing; absence of anything. Labels: countable, informal, uncountable 13. An air conditioning system. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Could you turn on the air? Example: Hey, did you mean to leave the airs on all week while you were on vacation? 14. Any specific gas. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable 15. The state of being briefly airborne during a jump. Labels: uncountable 16. A television or radio signal; (by extension) media broadcasts in general. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Ernst gave a list of political activists who had been denied access to the air by private broadcasters, and pointed out that "Secretary Hoover's signature in New York sells for $150,000 to $200,000," thus limiting access to the air on the part of labor unions and other underrepresented groups. Example: Coming to you live once a month, or whenever I feel like broadcasting a little pirate air. 17. Publicity. Labels: uncountable