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AIR
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Travel via aircraft
Example:
if you've time to spare go by air
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("air" is a kind of...):
travel; traveling; travelling (the act of going from one place to another)
Domain member category:
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)
belly-land (land on the underside without the landing gear)
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)
jet (fly a jet plane)
test fly (test a plane)
solo (fly alone, without a co-pilot or passengers)
fly contact (fly a plane by using visible landmarks or points of reference)
fly blind (fly an airplane solely by relying on instruments)
aviate; fly; pilot (operate an airplane)
crab (direct (an aircraft) into a crosswind)
buzz (fly low)
stall (experience a stall in flight, of airplanes)
stall (cause an airplane to go into a stall)
stooge (cruise in slow or routine flights)
cruise (travel at a moderate speed)
red-eye (travel on an overnight flight)
fly (travel in an airplane)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "air"):
flight; flying (an instance of traveling by air)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing
Example:
the place had an aura of romance
Synonyms:
air; atmosphere; aura
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
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 3
Meaning:
Medium for radio and television broadcasting
Example:
the president used the airwaves to take his message to the people
Synonyms:
air; airwave
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
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 4
Meaning:
A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
Example:
she was humming an air from Beethoven
Synonyms:
air; line; melodic line; melodic phrase; melody; strain; tune
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
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"):
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)
theme song (a melody that recurs and comes to represent a musical play or movie)
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 5
Meaning:
The mass of air surrounding the Earth
Example:
it was exposed to the air
Synonyms:
air; atmosphere
Classified under:
Nouns denoting spatial position
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:
The region above the ground
Example:
he threw the ball into the air
Classified under:
Nouns denoting spatial position
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 7
Meaning:
A slight wind (usually refreshing)
Example:
as he waited he could feel the air on his neck
Synonyms:
air; breeze; gentle wind; zephyr
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
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"):
strong breeze (wind moving 25-31 knots; 6 on the Beaufort scale)
fresh breeze (wind moving 19-24 knots; 5 on the Beaufort scale)
moderate breeze (wind moving 13-18 knots; 4 on the Beaufort scale)
gentle breeze (wind moving 8-12 knots; 3 on the Beaufort scale)
light breeze (wind moving 4-7 knots; 2 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))
Derivation:
airy (open to or abounding in fresh air)
Sense 8
Meaning:
A mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
Example:
I need some fresh air
Classified under:
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"):
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 36; Kr; krypton (a colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses; occurs in trace amounts in air)
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)
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 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 54; Xe; xenon (a colorless odorless inert gaseous element occurring in the earth's atmosphere in trace 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 9
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)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they air ... he / she / it airs
Past simple: aired
Past participle: aired
-ing form: airing
Sense 1
Meaning:
Expose to cool or cold air so as to cool or freshen
Example:
air out the smoke-filled rooms
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):
freshen; refresh (make (to feel) fresh)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 2
Meaning:
Expose to warm or heated air, so as to dry
Example:
Air linen
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):
dry; dry out (remove the moisture from and make dry)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 3
Meaning:
Make public
Example:
She aired her opinions on welfare
Synonyms:
air; bare; publicise; publicize
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):
tell (let something be known)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "air"):
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)
bulletin (make public by bulletin)
hype (publicize in an exaggerated and often misleading manner)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sense 4
Meaning:
Broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television
Example:
We cannot air this X-rated song
Synonyms:
air; beam; broadcast; send; transmit
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
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 5
Meaning:
Be broadcast
Example:
This show will air Saturdays at 2 P.M.
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
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 6
Meaning:
Expose to fresh air
Example:
aerate your old sneakers
Synonyms:
aerate; air; air out
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Hypernyms (to "air" is one way to...):
expose (expose or make accessible to some action or influence)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Context examples:
His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
But now John put his hand into his pocket, brought out a whistle, and blew upon it several modulated blasts that rang far across the heated air.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Devil, cease; and do not poison the air with these sounds of malice.
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
It was a fine dry night; frost in the air; the streets as clean as a ballroom floor; the lamps, unshaken by any wind, drawing a regular pattern of light and shadow.
(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
A colorless, crystalline, solid aromatic amine that turns purple when exposed to air and emits toxic fumes when heated. p-Biphenylamine is used only in laboratory research to induce tumorigenesis.
(p-Biphenylamine, NCI Thesaurus)
It warms and moistens the air to keep your lungs and tubes that lead to them from drying out.
(Nose Injuries and Disorders, NIH)
The extra oxygen is breathed in along with normal air.
(Oxygen Therapy, NCI Dictionary)
Normally, your lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe.
(Oxygen Therapy, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Alleyne stood by the tiller, looking backwards, the fresh wind full in his teeth, the crisp winter air tingling on his face and blowing his yellow curls from under his bassinet.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
It was not until we were in the fresh night air again that he opened his mouth.
(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
