air noun
1 gas/space
ADJ. hot, warm | chill, cold, cool, crisp | clean, clear, fresh, pure We need some fresh air in this stuffy room! | sweet The air was sweet with incense. | foul/foul-smelling, polluted, stale the polluted air of our cities
the musty smell of stale air | damp, humid | dry | still Nothing moved in the still air. | thin It's difficult carrying such heavy loads in the thin air of the mountains. | thick The air was thick with cigarette smoke. | country, mountain, sea | evening, morning, night Music filled the night air.
QUANT. blast, gust We felt a blast of cold air as she opened the door. | current warm currents of air | breath He drew in another breath of air.
VERB + AIR breathe (in), gulp in, suck in Land crabs breathe air and cannot swim. She gulped in the fresh mountain air. | fight for, gasp for She was gasping for air as she ran out of the burning house. | smell, sniff The dog stretched and sniffed the air. | fill, hang in The tang of some wild herb hung in the air.
AIR + VERB blow, rise, waft The cool night air wafted in the open windows.
AIR + NOUN pollution | quality equipment to monitor air quality | pressure | current
PREP. in/into the ~ I kicked the ball high into the air. | through the ~ Spicy smells wafted through the air.
PHRASES in the open air (= outside) The market is held in the open air.
2 for planes
AIR + NOUN travel | fare | traffic We are cleared by Air Traffic Control to taxi and take off. | crash, disaster | attack, strike Three buildings were bombed last night in an air strike on the city.
PREP. by ~ (= by plane) It only takes three hours by air. | from the ~ The hideout is clearly visible from the air.
PHRASES in mid-air The two planes collided in mid air.
3 impression
VERB + AIR have, retain You have an air of authority. | add, bring, give (sth) A stone balcony gives the building an air of elegance.
PREP. with an/the ~ He leaned towards Melissa with an air of great confidentiality. | ~ of
air verb
ADV. in public, openly, publicly The issues were openly aired and discussed by the group.
You can also check other dicts: air (English, 中文解释 ), wordnet sense, Collins Definition