air
( airs plural & 3rd person present) ( airing present participle) ( aired past tense & past participle )
1 n-uncount 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.
2 n-sing Theair is the space around things or above the ground.
the N
Government troops broke up the protest by firing their guns in the air...
3 n-uncount Air is used to refer to travel in aircraft.
usu N n, by N
Air travel will continue to grow at about 6% per year..., Casualties had to be brought to hospital by air.
4 n-sing If you say that someone or something has a particular air, you mean that they give this general impression.
with supp, oft N of n
Jennifer regarded him with an air of amusement...
5 n-plural 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, disapproval We're poor and we never put on airs.
6 verb If a broadcasting company airs a television or radio programme, they show it on television or broadcast it on the radio.
(mainly AM)
(=broadcast)
Tonight PBS will air a documentary called `Democracy In Action'. V n
♦
airing n-sing
...the airing of offensive material.
7 verb If you air your opinions, you make them known to people.
(=express)
The whole issue was thoroughly aired at the meeting. be V-ed
8 verb 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. V n
9 verb If you air clothing or bedding, you put it somewhere warm to make sure that it is completely dry.
10 If you do something to clear the air, you do it in order to resolve any problems or disagreements that there might be.
♦
clear the air phrase V inflects
...an inquiry just to clear the air and settle the facts of the case.
11 If something is in the air it is felt to be present, but it is not talked about.
♦
in the air phrase
There was great excitement in the air...
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.
♦
on the air phrase v-link PHR, PHR after v
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.
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.
♦
into thin air/out of thin air phrase PHR after v
He had materialized out of thin air; I had not seen or heard him coming.
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.
♦
up in the air phrase v-link PHR
(=undecided) (Antonym: settled)
He told reporters today that the president's trip to Moscow is up in the air.
15 If you say that you are walking on air or floating on air, you mean that you feel extremely happy about something. ♦
walking on air/floating on air phrase V inflects As soon as I know I'm in the team it's like I'm walking on air.
air ambulance ( air ambulances plural ) An air ambulance is a helicopter or plane that is used for taking people to hospital. n-count also by N
air base ( air bases plural ) , airbase An air base is a centre where military aircraft take off or land and are serviced, and where many of the centre's staff live. n-count
air brake ( air brakes plural ) Air brakes are brakes which are used on heavy vehicles such as buses and trains and which are operated by means of compressed air. n-count
air-con
Air-con is the same as air conditioning.
INFORMAL n-uncount
The bus is a 45-seater with air-con and videos.
air conditioned
If a room or vehicle is air conditioned, the air in it is kept cool and dry by means of a special machine. adj
...our new air conditioned trains.
air conditioner ( air conditioners plural ) An air conditioner is a machine which keeps the air in a building cool and dry. n-count
air conditioning
Air conditioning is a method of providing buildings and vehicles with cool dry air. n-uncount oft N n
air-cooled
An air-cooled engine is prevented from getting too hot when it is running by cool air that passes over it, rather than being cooled by a liquid. adj usu ADJ n
The car was powered by a four cylinder air-cooled engine.
air drop ( air drops plural & 3rd person present) ( air dropping present participle) ( air dropped past tense & past participle ) , airdrop, air-drop
1 n-count An air drop is a delivery of supplies by aircraft to an area that is hard to get to. The supplies are dropped from the aircraft on parachutes.
2 verb If a country or organization air drops supplies to a place, it drops supplies there from aircraft.
air force ( air forces plural ) An air force is the part of a country's armed forces that is concerned with fighting in the air. n-count
...the United States Air Force...
air freshener ( air fresheners plural ) An air freshener is a product people can buy which is meant to make rooms smell pleasant. n-var
air hostess ( air hostesses plural ) An air hostess is a woman whose job is to look after the passengers in an aircraft.
(BRIT)
OLD-FASHIONED n-count
(=stewardess)
in AM, use stewardess
air miles
Air miles are points that you collect when you buy certain goods or services and which you can use to pay for air travel. n-plural
air pistol ( air pistols plural ) An air pistol is a small gun which is fired by means of air pressure. n-count
air power , airpower
A nation's air power is the strength of its air force. n-uncount
We will use air power to protect UN peacekeepers if necessary.
air rage
Air rage is aggressive or violent behaviour by airline passengers. n-uncount oft N n
Most air rage incidents involve heavy drinking.
air raid ( air raids plural ) An air raid is an attack by military aircraft in which bombs are dropped. This expression is usually used by the country or group that is suffering the attack. n-count oft N on n, N n
The war began with overnight air raids on Baghdad and Kuwait.
air rifle ( air rifles plural ) An air rifle is a rifle which is fired by means of air pressure. n-count
air strike ( air strikes plural ) , airstrike An air strike is an attack by military aircraft in which bombs are dropped. This expression is usually used by the country or group that is carrying out the attack. n-count
A senior defence official said last night that they would continue the air strikes.
air terminal ( air terminals plural ) An air terminal is a building in which passengers wait before they get on to an aeroplane.
(mainly BRIT) n-count
air time , airtime
The airtime that something gets is the amount of time taken up with broadcasts about it. n-uncount
Even the best women's teams get little air time...
air-to-air
Air-to-air combat is a battle between military aeroplanes where rockets or bullets are fired at one aeroplane from another. adj ADJ n
...air-to-air missiles.
air traffic control
1 n-uncount Air traffic control is the activity of organizing the routes that aircraft should follow, and telling pilots by radio which routes they should take.
oft N n
...the nation's overburdened air-traffic-control system.
2 n-uncount-coll Air traffic control is the group of people who organize the routes aircraft take.
They have to wait for clearance from air traffic control.
air traffic controller ( air traffic controllers plural ) An air traffic controller is someone whose job is to organize the routes that aircraft should follow, and to tell pilots by radio which routes they should take. n-count
free-to-air
Free-to-air television programmes and channels are broadcast to all televisions and do not require a subscription or payment. adj usu ADJ n
Free to air is also an adverb., adv
For a change, the fight will be televised free to air on the Fox Network.
fresh air
You can describe the air outside as fresh air, especially when you mean that it is good for you because it does not contain dirt or dangerous substances. n-uncount also the N
`Let's take the baby outside,' I suggested. `We all need some fresh air.'
hot air
If you say that someone's claims or promises are just hot air, you are criticizing them because they are made mainly to impress people and have no real value or meaning.
INFORMAL n-uncount
(disapproval)
His justification for the merger was just hot air...
hot-air balloon ( hot-air balloons plural ) A hot-air balloon is a large balloon with a basket underneath in which people can travel. The balloon is filled with hot air in order to make it float in the air. n-count
mid-air
If something happens in mid-air, it happens in the air, rather than on the ground. n-uncount
The bird stopped and hovered in mid-air., ...a mid-air collision.
off-air , off air
In radio or television, when a programme goes off-air or when something happens off-air, it is not broadcast. adv ADV after v, be ADV
The argument continued off air.
Off-air is also an adjective., adj ADJ n
...a special off-air advice line.
open-air , open air
1 adj An open-air place or event is outside rather than in a building.
usu ADJ n
(=outdoor)
...the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park., ...an open air concert in brilliant sunshine.
2 n-sing If you are in theopen air, you are outside rather than in a building.
the N, usu in the N
We sleep out under the stars, and eat our meals in the open air.
sea air
The sea air is the air at the seaside, which is regarded as being good for people's health. n-uncount
I took a deep breath of the fresh sea air.
surface-to-air
Surface-to-air missiles are fired from the ground or a boat and aimed at aircraft or at other missiles. adj ADJ n