AIR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does air mean? 

• AIR (noun)
  The noun AIR has 9 senses:

1. a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

2. the region above the ground

3. a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing

4. a slight wind (usually refreshing)

5. the mass of air surrounding the Earth

6. once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)

7. a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

8. medium for radio and television broadcasting

9. travel via aircraft

  Familiarity information: AIR used as a noun is familiar.

• AIR (verb)
  The verb AIR has 6 senses:

1. expose to fresh air

2. be broadcast

3. broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television

4. make public

5. expose to warm or heated air, so as to dry

6. expose to cool or cold air so as to cool or freshen

  Familiarity information: AIR used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AIR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Context example:

I need some fresh air

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

gas (a fluid in the gaseous state having neither independent shape nor volume and being able to expand indefinitely)

Meronyms (substance of "air"):

atomic number 36; Kr; krypton (a colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses; occurs in trace amounts in air)

Ar; argon; atomic number 18 (a colorless and odorless inert gas; one of the six inert gases; comprises approximately 1% of the earth's atmosphere)

atomic number 54; Xe; xenon (a colorless odorless inert gaseous element occurring in the earth's atmosphere in trace amounts)

atomic number 8; O; oxygen (a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust)

atomic number 7; N; nitrogen (a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues)

atomic number 10; Ne; neon (a colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube; one of the six inert gasses; occurs in the air in small amounts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):

breath (the air that is inhaled and exhaled in respiration)

hot air (air that has been heated and tends to rise)

liquid air (air in a liquid state)

Holonyms ("air" is a substance of...):

air current; current of air; wind (air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure)

Derivation:

aerate (aerate (sewage) so as to favor the growth of organisms that decompose organic matter)

aerate (expose to fresh air)

aerify (turn into gas)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The region above the ground

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context example:

he threw the ball into the air

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

part; region (the extended spatial location of something)

Derivation:

aerial (existing or living or growing or operating in the air)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

air; atmosphere; aura

Context example:

the place had an aura of romance

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

quality (an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):

mystique (an aura of heightened value or interest or meaning surrounding a person or thing)

note (a characteristic emotional quality)

vibe; vibration (a distinctive emotional aura experienced instinctively)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A slight wind (usually refreshing)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

air; breeze; gentle wind; zephyr

Context example:

as he waited he could feel the air on his neck

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

air current; current of air; wind (air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):

moderate breeze (wind moving 13-18 knots; 4 on the Beaufort scale)

strong breeze (wind moving 25-31 knots; 6 on the Beaufort scale)

fresh breeze (wind moving 19-24 knots; 5 on the Beaufort scale)

gentle breeze (wind moving 8-12 knots; 3 on the Beaufort scale)

light air (wind moving 1-3 knots; 1 on the Beaufort scale)

breath (a slight movement of the air)

sea breeze (a cooling breeze from the sea (during the daytime))

light breeze (wind moving 4-7 knots; 2 on the Beaufort scale)

Derivation:

airy (open to or abounding in fresh air)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The mass of air surrounding the Earth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

air; atmosphere

Context example:

it was exposed to the air

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

part; region (the extended spatial location of something)

Meronyms (parts of "air"):

air space; airspace (the space in the atmosphere immediately above the earth)

ionosphere (the outer region of the Earth's atmosphere; contains a high concentration of free electrons)

Part meronym:

earth; globe; world (the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):

airspace (the atmosphere above a nation that is deemed to be under its jurisdiction)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

element (one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe)

Domain usage:

archaicism; archaism (the use of an archaic expression)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

air; line; melodic line; melodic phrase; melody; strain; tune

Context example:

she was humming an air from Beethoven

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Meronyms (parts of "air"):

musical phrase; phrase (a short musical passage)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):

theme song (a melody that recurs and comes to represent a musical play or movie)

part; voice (the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music)

idea; melodic theme; musical theme; theme ((music) melodic subject of a musical composition)

signature; signature tune; theme song (a melody used to identify a performer or a dance band or radio/tv program)

leitmotif; leitmotiv (a melodic phrase that accompanies the reappearance of a person or situation (as in Wagner's operas))

roulade ((music) an elaborate run of several notes sung to one syllable)

glissando (a rapid series of ascending or descending notes on the musical scale)

fanfare; flourish; tucket ((music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Medium for radio and television broadcasting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

air; airwave

Context example:

the president used the airwaves to take his message to the people

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

medium (an intervening substance through which signals can travel as a means for communication)

Derivation:

air (broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television)

air (be broadcast)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Travel via aircraft

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

air; air travel; aviation

Context example:

if you've time to spare go by air

Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):

travel; traveling; travelling (the act of going from one place to another)

Domain member category:

belly-land (land on the underside without the landing gear)

peel off (leave a formation)

emplane; enplane (board a plane)

deplane (get off an airplane)

bring down; land; put down (cause to come to the ground)

ditch (make an emergency landing on water)

crash land (make an emergency landing)

chandelle (climb suddenly and steeply)

crash-dive (descend steeply and rapidly)

nosedive (plunge nose first; drop with the nose or front first, of aircraft)

power-dive (make a power dive)

sailplane; soar (fly a plane without an engine)

kite (soar or fly like a kite)

glide (fly in or as if in a glider plane)

test fly (test a plane)

jet (fly a jet plane)

fly (travel in an airplane)

red-eye (travel on an overnight flight)

cruise (travel at a moderate speed)

stooge (cruise in slow or routine flights)

stall (cause an airplane to go into a stall)

stall (experience a stall in flight, of airplanes)

overfly; pass over (fly over)

buzz (fly low)

crab (direct (an aircraft) into a crosswind)

aviate; fly; pilot (operate an airplane)

fly blind (fly an airplane solely by relying on instruments)

fly contact (fly a plane by using visible landmarks or points of reference)

solo (fly alone, without a co-pilot or passengers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):

flight; flying (an instance of traveling by air)

• AIR (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Expose to fresh air

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

aerate; air; air out

Context example:

aerate your old sneakers

Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):

expose (expose or make accessible to some action or influence)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be broadcast

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

This show will air Saturdays at 2 P.M.

Domain category:

broadcast medium; broadcasting (a medium that disseminates via telecommunications)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "air"):

be on; get on (appear in a show, on T.V. or radio)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

air (medium for radio and television broadcasting)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

air; beam; broadcast; send; transmit

Context example:

We cannot air this X-rated song

Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):

air; bare; publicise; publicize (make public)

Cause:

air (be broadcast)

Domain category:

broadcast medium; broadcasting (a medium that disseminates via telecommunications)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "air"):

satellite (broadcast or disseminate via satellite)

sportscast (broadcast a sports event)

telecast; televise (broadcast via television)

interrogate (transmit (a signal) for setting off an appropriate response, as in telecommunication)

rebroadcast; rerun (broadcast again, as of a film)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

air (medium for radio and television broadcasting)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make public

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

air; bare; publicise; publicize

Context example:

She aired her opinions on welfare

Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):

tell (let something be known)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "air"):

bulletin (make public by bulletin)

air; beam; broadcast; send; transmit (broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television)

broadcast; circularise; circularize; circulate; diffuse; disperse; disseminate; distribute; pass around; propagate; spread (cause to become widely known)

bring out; issue; publish; put out; release (prepare and issue for public distribution or sale)

hype (publicize in an exaggerated and often misleading manner)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 5

Meaning:

Expose to warm or heated air, so as to dry

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Air linen

Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):

dry; dry out (remove the moisture from and make dry)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Expose to cool or cold air so as to cool or freshen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

air; air out; vent; ventilate

Context example:

air out the smoke-filled rooms

Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):

freshen; refresh (make (to feel) fresh)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

The golden year was dying as it had lived, a beautiful and unrepentant voluptuary, and reminiscent rapture and content freighted heavily the air.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

She often took me out of my box, at my own desire, to give me air, and show me the country, but always held me fast by a leading-string.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I will never so much as breathe the same air with you again!

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Take in the fresh air and enjoy being away from your usual cares.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

There was no freshness in the air.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"It is the way of the white man," Ebbits mumbled with an air of resignation.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Perhaps it is the change of air, or getting home again.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

With a resigned air and a somewhat weary smile, Holmes begged the beautiful intruder to take a seat, and to inform us what it was that was troubling her.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

‘Oh, tut, tut! sweating—rank sweating!’ he cried, throwing his fat hands out into the air like a man who is in a boiling passion.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)