Air

Forms: 3–5 eir, 4–5 eyr, 4–6 eyre, aier, 4–7 ayre, 5 eyir, eire, 5–6 eyer, ayer, 5–7 aire, 6 eyere, 6–7 ayr, 7 aër, 7– air. [Br. I. II. a. OFr. air (Pr. air, aire, Sp. aire, Pg. ar, It. aire, aere):—L. āer-em, a. Gr. ’ᾱήρ ’ᾱέρ-α, f. ἄ-ειν, ἀ-ῆναι (ἀε-) to blow, breathe. (Mod. It has largely substituted aria:—L. āerea adj. for aere. Cf. Florio 1598 ‘Aere (aire, aira) the aire. Also, an aspect, countenance, cheere, a look or apparance in the face of man or woman. Also, a tune or aire of a song or ditty.’ ‘Aria, as aere, the aire.’) Br. III. IV. did not arise from I. in Eng. but were adopted c. 1600 from Fr. air = apparence extérieure, manière d’être, also suite de tons et de notes qui composent un chant, the connection of which with atmospheric air is disputed.

  1.  Littré makes them two words, identifying air, manner, with OFr. aire ‘area, open place, AERIE’ q.v. (which was occasionally masc.) through the chain of ideas ‘nest, stock, family, family character, derived manner,’ comparing phrases like faucon de bon aire, hawk of a good sort (stock, aerie); but no formal connection can be traced between OFr. aire and mod. Fr. air, while OFr. aire never had the sense of ‘external appearance,’ which is moreover quite a late sense of mod. Fr. air (end of 16th c.). Diez, after Burguy, inclines to identify the two senses, through the ideas of ‘air, breath, spirit, character, manner,’ comparing the range of L. spiritus, originally ‘breath, air.’ 2. It seems probable that the sense of ‘manner’ was adopted in Fr. from It. in which it is of old standing (see Florio above). Diez says that the Pr. di bon aire (Fr. de bon aire) was adopted in It., and aire treated as the native aere, aire, aria, whence di buon’ aria; hence it is not impossible that the development of senses supposed by Littré, may have taken place in It. and thence been transferred in 16th c. to Fr. air. 3. But it is more probable that there was no confusion with aire = aerie, and that the idea of manner—‘external manner, appearance, mien,’ rather than ‘innate character’—is a simple extension of the idea of the ‘enveloping or affecting atmosphere special to a place, or situation’ as when one is said to carry with him the ‘air of the office’ (Fr. air du bureau), or to catch the ‘air of the court,’ Shaks. (see below; cf. La Bruyere ‘L’air de cour est contagieux, il se prend à Versailles, comme l’accent normand à Rouen’) which Littré himself refers to ‘atmosphere,’ and which is not separable from ‘an air of gentility, of truth,’ etc. This would also best accord with Br. IV. undoubtedly of It. origination, aere, aria, (see Florio above), here translating L. modus ‘manner,’ also ‘musical mode, metre, measure, melody.’]

  I.  Atmospheric air.

  1.  The transparent, invisible, inodorous and tasteless gaseous substance which envelopes the earth, and is breathed by all land animals; one of the four ‘elements’ of the ancients, but now known to be a mechanical mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with the constant presence of a small quantity of carbonic acid gas, and traces of many other substances as contaminations.

c. 1300.  in Wright’s Pop. Sc., 120. Þe four elementz, of wham we beoþ iwroȝt: the fur … th-eir … siþþe þe water and siþþe þe urþe.

c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, III. 260. In his substance is but aire.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 33. As the plover doth of aire, I live, and am in good espeire.

c. 1440.  in Household Ordin. (1790), 433. Stop hit well that no eyre goo oute.

1565.  Golding, Ovid’s Met., IX. (1593), 227. Scarce her toong the aier hits.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 322. Trifles, light as ayre. Ibid. (1610), Temp., IV. i. 150. These our actors … Are melted into ayre, into thin ayre.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviathan, III. xxxiv. 207. Aire, and aeriall substances, use not to be taken for Bodies, but … are called Wind, or Breath.

1660.  Jer. Taylor, Worthy Commun., i. § 2. 43. Truth is the aire they breath.

1674.  Petty, Disc. bef. Royal Soc., 117. The Vnder-water-Air within the Vessels of Water-Divers, who the lower they go, do find their stock of Air more and more to shrink.

1751.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v., We can actually weigh Air.

1878.  Huxley, Physiogr., 39. As transparent, as colourless, as invisible as the air we breathe.

  b.  fig. With reference to its unsubstantial or impalpable nature.

1692.  South, 12 Serm. (1697), I. 18. We are not entertain’d only with the Air of Words and Metaphors.

  † 2.  Any aeriform body ‘permanent’ as a gas; ‘transient’ as a vapor. Obs.

  ‘Factitious or artificial air, a name given by Boyle to all those elastic fluids which he found produced in chemical experiments, and to be different from the air of the atmosphere.’ Pantologia, 1819.

  The following are the chief of these obsolete uses:

  Acid or Marine Air, Muriatic Acid Gas; Alkaline Air, Ammoniacal Gas, Fixed Air, Carbonic Acid Gas; Dephlogisticated, or Vital Air, Oxygen; Sparry Acid Air, Fluoric Acid Gas; Inflammable Air, Hydrogen; Hepatic Air, Sulphuretted Hydrogen; Phlogisticated Air, Nitrogen; Mephitic Air, Carbonic Acid Gas, and Nitrogen.

1641.  French, Distill., vi. 177. This … gold nature would have perfected into an elixir but was hindred by the crude aire, which crude aire is … nothing else but … sulphur.

1692.  Boyle, Hist. Air, in Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Various solid and mineral bodies … being plunged in corrosive unelastic menstrua … afford a considerable quantity of permanently elastic air.

c. 1700.  Newton, in Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Gunpowder generates air by explosion.

1751.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The difference between permanent and transient Air amounts to the same as that between vapour and exhalation.

1774.  Priestley (title), ‘Experiments and Observations on different kinds of Air.’

1789.  Howard, Royal Encycl., 74. Impregnation of water with fixed air.

1789.  Austin, in Phil. Trans., LXXX. 55. A jar perforated with brass rods, such as is used for inflaming airs.

1819.  Pantol., I. s.v., The different kinds of air, now comprehended under the general term gas.

  3.  The whole body of air surrounding, or in popular language above, the earth; the atmosphere; hence, a. the (apparently) free space above our heads, in which birds fly and clouds float.

c. 1300.  in Wright’s Pop. Sc., 128. Th-eir is swiþe heȝ.

c. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 7642. Ane other heven es called þe ayre … þar þe foghles has flyght.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Squieres T., 114. To fleen as hye in the Air [v.r. ayr, eir, eyre] as dooth an Egle.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. II. 127. Somme in erþe, somme in aier · somme in helle dupe.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, V. i. (1859), 68. By see and land, and in the eyer abouen.

1488.  Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 8. The sonne draweth the humours up in to the ayre.

1556.  Chron. Grey Friars (1852), 69. Abowte Ester was sene in Sussex three sonnes shenynge at one tyme in the eyer, that thei cowde not dysserne wych shulde be the very sonne.

1611.  Bible, Eccl. x. 20. A bird of the aire shall carry the voyce.

1652.  Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., Pref. The Romanes had shut up the Rivers and Lands, and in a manner the very Aër.

1652.  Brome, Jov. Crew, II. 388. While their sublimed spirits daunce i’ th’ Ayr.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 553, ¶ 3. To suspend our coffee in mid-air, between our lips and right-ear.

1808.  Scott, Marm., VI. xxv. As if men fought upon the earth, And fiends in upper air.

c. 1840.  Longf., Not always May. The sun is bright—the air is clear, The darting swallows soar and sing.

  fig.  1855.  H. Reed, Eng. Lit., x. (1878), 311. The upper air of poetry is the atmosphere of sorrow.

  b.  The open air: the unconfined space outside buildings, exposed to the weather. Often attrib.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, I. 20. The brazen Statue of Minerva in the open ayre.

1683.  Tryon, Way to Health, 287. Moderate Exercises in open Airs, which is profitable for all People.

1756.  Burke, Subl. & B., Wks. I. 193. A greater light than you had in the open air.

Mod.  An open air meeting; a great open air demonstration.

  c.  In the air. fig. 1. a. In the moral or intellectual atmosphere of the time, in men’s minds everywhere abroad; b. in an unfixed or uncertain state, in doubt. 2. Milit. (see quot. 1882). 3. To build in the air, form castles in the air: to form unsubstantial or visionary projects; see also CASTLE.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., III. iv. 100. Who builds his hope in ayre of your good Lookes.

1601.  Imp. Consid. Sec. Priests (1675), 60. Mr. Saunders (building Castles in the Air amongst his Books).

1757.  Wesley, Wks., 1872, IX. 304. A mere castle in the air.

1797.  T. Jefferson, Writ., 1859, IV. 186. I consider the future character of our republic as in the air; indeed its future fortune will be in the air, if war is made on us by France.

1879.  Farrar, St. Paul, I. 642. These expressions and points of view were not peculiar to Philo. They were, so to speak, in the air.

1882.  D. Gardner, Quatre Bras, etc. 200–1. The extreme left of the Allied front was held by Vivian’s hussar brigade, and was, in military dialect, ‘in the air’—that is, protruded into the open country, without natural or artificial protection to its outer flank.

Mod.  The spirit of doubt is in the air.

  4.  A special state or condition of the atmosphere, as affected by temperature, moisture or other invisible agencies, or as modified by time or place, as the night air, one’s native air; approaching the senses of weather and climate.

1479.  J. Paston, in Lett., 849, III. 265. Ye wyllyd me … to hast me ought of the heyer that I am in … her must I be for a season.

1529.  Wolsey, in Four Cent. Eng. Lett., 10. I must be removyd to some other dryer ayer.

1583.  B. Rich, Phyl. & Em. (1835), 13. It was very good for ill Ayres in a mornyng.

1649.  Jer. Taylor, Great Exemp., II. § 12. 57. The spirits of the body have been bound up by the cold winter ayre.

1656.  Hammond, Leah & Rachel (1844), 10. Change of ayre does much alter the state of our bodies.

1703.  Lond. Gaz., mmmdccccxxi/1. To remove from the Vatican to his Palace at Monte Cavallo, as being a better Air.

1708.  Pope, Solit., 3. Content to breathe his native air In his own ground.

1765.  Churchill, Gotham, II. 20. Nor waste their sweetness in the desert air.

1860.  W. Collins, Wom. in White (1861), 292. As soon as [they] … can travel, they must both have change of air.

Mod.  Are you afraid of the night air?

  5.  The fresh unexhausted air of the outer atmosphere, as distinguished from that exhausted of its oxygen in confined spaces.

c. 1440.  Generydes, 1984. The Sowdon toke the waye, Owt of the Cite to take the ayre.

1588.  Greene, Pandosto (1843), 45. The king would go abroad to take the ayre.

1623.  Massinger, Duke of Milan, III. ii. Say I am rid Abroad to take the air.

1727.  Swift, Gulliver, II. viii. 163. To give me air in hot weather as I slept.

1745.  De Foe, Eng. Tradesm., I. x. 83. He goes to take the air for the afternoon.

1813.  Miss Austen, Pride & Prej., ii. 171. She resolved soon after breakfast to indulge herself in air and exercise.

a. 1838.  L. E. L[andon], May day, 200. Clear sky, fresh air, sweet birds, and trees.

Mod.  The bones crumbled to dust on exposure to the air.

  6.  Air contaminated by gaseous exhalations or emanations; hence, the contaminating exhalations themselves; miasma. (Cf. It. mal’ aria.)

a. 1230.  Ancr. R., 104. Þicke eir in hire huse stunch … and strong breð ine neose.

1366.  Maundev., xxvii. 276. To voyden away alle wykkede Eyres and corrupciouns.

c. 1430.  Lydg., in Dom. Archit., III. 39. From endengerynge of all corrupcion, From wycked ayre, & from inffexion.

c. 1538.  Starkey, England, II. ii. 179. Some corrupt and pestylent Ayre.

1601.  Holland, Pliny (1634), I. 72. The aire arising out of it so noisom and pestiferous for birds.

1712.  Pope, Rape Lock, II. 83. Suck the mists in grosser air below.

1861.  Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 12. His goods are spoiled by foul air and gas fumes.

  † 7.  Exhalation affecting the sense of smell; effluvium, odor, redolence; the ‘atmosphere’ sensibly diffused by anything. Obs.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, II. xiv. (1554), 53. The ayre of meates and of baudy cookes Which all day rost and sede.

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., VII. i. Wyth flowres of all goodly ayre.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ccccxxiii. 741. The kyng disloged fro Rosbeque, bycause of the eyre of the dead bodyes.

1607.  Topsell, Four-footed Beasts (1673), 133. The Theevish Dog … hunting Conies by the air.

  8.  Air in motion; a breeze, or light wind; current, or draught.

1535.  Coverdale, Ezek. xxxvii. 9. Come (o thou ayre) from the foure wyndes, & blowe vpon these slayne.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., I. iv. 41. Bring with thee ayres from Heauen or blasts from Hell.

1633.  P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., 107. When cooler ayers gently gan to blow.

1704.  Pope, Spring, 5. Let vernal airs thro’ trembling osiers play.

1836.  Marryat, Midsh. Easy, xxx. 116. Calms and light airs detained them for a few days.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exped., xiv. (1856), 106. To crowd on the canvas, and sail with gentle airs for about two miles.

1879.  Froude, Cæsar, xvi. 267. On a fine summer evening, with a light air from the south.

Mod.  ‘Sitting right in the air of the door.’

  † 9.  Breath; also fig.; ‘popular air’ (Horace, popularis aura), the breath of popular applause. Obs.

1590.  Marlowe, Edw. II., V. iii. 270. But can my air of life continue long.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., V. iii. 77. Still me thinkes There is an ayre comes from her. What fine chizzell could euer yet cut breath … I will kisse her.

1665.  J. Spencer, Prophecies, 114. There being not the least air of any promise of Prophecy made.

1710.  Palmer, Proverbs, 123. A man of a weak judgment is soonest over-set by popular air.

1821.  Byron, Mar. Fal., I. i. (1868), 315. A whisper, or a murmur, or an air.

  † 10.  Hence, Inspiration: confidential or secret information. Obs.

1622.  Bacon, Hen. VII., 239 (J.). The Aires, which the Princes and States abroad received from their Ambassadors and Agents.

1660.  R. Coke, Just. Vind., 14. A kind of divine ayre informing men of their truth.

  11.  fig. (partly from 3, partly from 8.) Public exposure, publicity, public currency. To take air: to spread about among people, to ‘get wind.’

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., II. iv. 144. Pursue him now; least the deuice take ayre.

1662.  Marvell, Corr., 35, Wks. 1872–5, II. 80. The businesse has got a litle too much aire.

1692.  R. Lestrange Josephus, I. xi. (1733), 571. For fear the Plot should take Air and be disappointed.

1734.  trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), IX. xx. i. 9. Nothing that passed in the senate … was known abroad or suffered to take air.

1843.  Prescott, Mexico, VI. iv. (1864), 361. Had he suffered his detection … of the guilty parties to take air.

1878.  G. Macdonald, Ann. Quiet Neighb., vii. 113. He would not make any fuss that might bring the thing out into the air.

  II.  [Common in OFr. e.g., ‘si se cumbat de grant air,’ ‘brocha le chevau par grand hair’; cf. L. spiritus, animus.]

  † 12.  Impetuosity, violence, force, anger. Obs.

1297.  R. Glouc., 51. As þis schippes with gret eir come toward londe. Ibid., 397. He turnde hys stede wyþ god eyr.

c. 1300.  St. Brand., 161. The Yle quakede anon, And with gret Eir hupte al up.

c. 1305.  St. Edm., 210, in E. E. P. (1862), 76. And his pamerie drouȝ So heȝe & wiþ so gret eir, as he him wolde altodryue; Seint Edmund lay & quakede.

  III.  Manner, appearance.

  13.  Outward appearance, apparent character, manner, look, style. Esp. in phrases like ‘an air of absurdity’; less commonly of a thing tangible, as ‘the air of a mansion.’

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., IV. i. 61. The Qualitie and Heire of our attempt Brookes no diuision. Ibid. (1607), Timon, V. i. 25. Promising, is the verie Ayre o’ th’ Time; It opens the eyes of expectation. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., IV. iv. 755. Seest thou not the ayre of the Court in these enfoldings?… Receiues not thy nose court-odour from me.

1630.  Wadsworth, Pilgr., i. 4. For feare the Heretiques of England should … say, he changed his ayre for profit, not conscience.

1647.  Jer. Taylor, Lib. Proph., § 4. 77. Unlesse other mens understandings were of the same ayre—the same constitution and ability.

1692.  Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 30. Nothing that had the least Air of Acknowledgment.

1710.  Steele, Tatler, No. 5, ¶ 7. Writing in an Air of common Speech.

1711.  Pope, Rape Lock, Ded. It was communicated with the air of a secret.

1739.  Hume, Hum. Nat. (1874), I. II. § 1. 334/2. Whatever has the air of a paradox.

c. 1815.  Miss Austen, Northang. Ab. (1833), II. vi. 133. The air of the room was far from uncheerful.

1827.  Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. x. 230. The Icon has … all the air of a fictitious composition.

1845.  Ford, Handbk. Spain, i. 25. Some have at a distance quite the air of a gentleman’s mansion.

1864.  D. Mitchell, 7 Stories, 201. The postillion gives his hat a jaunty air.

1876.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 232. The story too has in itself a mythical air.

  14.  Of a person: Mien, demeanor, attitude, gesture, manner, look. arch.

1599.  H. Porter, Two Angry Women (1841), 36. His ayre is pleasant and doth please me well.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., V. i. 129. Your Fathers Image is so hit in you (His very ayre) that I should call you Brother.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 1, ¶ 5. He is of a noble Family, has naturally a very good air.

1711.  Pope, Rape Lock, II. 98. Assist their blushes, and inspire their airs.

1714.  Budgell, Spect., No. 605, ¶ 8. Married Persons … catch the Air and way of Talk from one another.

1729.  Burkitt, On N. T., Ded. Unless he sees upon us the Air and Features … of Christ our elder Brother.

1822.  Byron, Heav. & Earth, I. ii. But her air, If not her words, tells me she loves another.

  † b.  Disposition, mood. Obs. rare.

1655.  H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., III. 233. The short-lived bliss Of air and humour.

1728.  Morgan, Algiers, II. v. 320. I am well acquainted with the very Airs, the innate Disposition of the People.

  † c.  Attitude or expression (of any part of the body). Obs.

1640.  T. Carew, Poems (1824), 104. No colour, feature, lovely ayre, or grace, That ever yet adorn’d a beauteous face.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 98, ¶ 5. Nature has … given it [the Face] Airs and Graces that cannot be described.

1729.  Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, II. 20. There was something in the air of his face that manifested the true greatness of his mind.

1762.  H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), II. 151. Admirable is the variety of attitudes and airs of heads.

1768.  Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 4. It … gives a better air to your face.

  d.  Mien or gesture (expressive of a personal quality or emotion).

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 118, ¶ 2. Her confident shall treat you with an Air of Distance.

1736.  Butler, Anal., II. vii. 355. Determine at once with a decisive air.

1751.  Johnson, Rambl., No. 144, ¶ 9. He … excites curiosity by an air of importance.

1802.  Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. x. 81. He turned from the lady … with an air of disgust.

1826.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, III. vii. 118. [He] addressed the Marchioness with an air of great interest.

1853.  H. Rogers, Eclipse of Faith, 195. He tossed off the brandy and water with a triumphant air.

  15.  An assumed manner, affected appearance, show.

1660.  T. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 9. With what an Air did Zeno teach his Wise Men the Contempt of Death.

1796.  Campaigns 1793–4, II. xi. 82. The Stadholder’s hat was pulled off with an air.

1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., iv. 21. Said Aunt Chloe, drawing herself up with an air.

1858.  J. Martineau, Stud. Chr., 217. That he had given himself the air of a great Apostle.

1876.  Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., I. ii. 12. Taking the air of a supercilious mentor.

1878.  Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 78. The Senate thought fit to assume the air of those who were conferring a favour and managed to drive a hard bargain with the Syracusan king.

  b.  esp. in pl.

1704.  Addison, Italy (1733), 37. Which easily discovers the Airs they give themselves.

1717.  Savage, Love in a Veil. In France the coquet is rather admir’d for her airs.

a. 1732.  Gay, Barley-Mow, 1.

1734.  Fielding, Old Man, Wks. 1784, III. 132. I must always give myself airs to a man I like.

1742.  Richardson, Pamela, III. 66. What had I to do, to take upon me Lady-airs, and resent?

1853.  C. Brontë, Villette, i. (1876), 6. I hope you mean to behave prettily to her, and not show your airs.

1863.  Kingsley, Wat. Babies, 6. A stuck-up fellow, who gave himself airs.

1876.  Black, Madcap Violet, v. 41. You will get cured of all these whims and airs of yours some day.

  † 16.  spec. Grand air; stylishness, ‘style.’ Obs.

1710.  Steele, Tatler, No. 23, ¶ 1. She complained a Lady’s Chariot … hung with twice the Air that her’s did.

1816.  Miss Austen, Emma, I. iv. 25. I had no idea he could be so very clownish, so totally without air.

  17.  Horsemanship, ‘The artificial or practised motions of a managed horse.’ Chambers, Cycl., 1751.

1641.  Brooke, Eng. Episc., I. ii. 5. Those Horses which are designed to a lofty Ayre, and generous manage, must be of a Noble race.

a. 1720.  Gibson, Diet of Horses, ii. (ed. 3), 35. He never saw Horses go so well as they, all sorts of Aires, as well for the Manage de Guerre, as in the Leaps.

  IV.  In Music [= musical mode or modulation].

  18.  Connected succession of musical sounds; expressive rhythmical sequence of musical tones; song-like music, melody.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., I. i. 183. Your tongue’s sweet ayre More tuneable then Larke to Shepheard’s eare. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., V. i. 76. If they but heare perchance a trumpet sound, Or any ayre of musicke touch their eares.

1749.  [J. Mason], Numbers in Poet. Comp., 32. How is it possible to accommodate the Quantity of the Notes to that of the Syllables, without spoiling the Air and Time of the Tune?

1795.  Mason, Ch. Mus., ii. 131. By the addition of too much Air by which these Masters deprived Harmony of its absolute supremacy, they robbed Church Music of its ancient solemnity.

1880.  Hullah, in Grove’s Dict. Mus., I. 46. In common parlance air is rhythmical melody—any kind of melody of which the feet are of the same duration, and the phrases bear some recognisable proportion one to another.

  19.  concr. A connected succession of musical sounds in expressive rhythmical arrangement; a piece of music of this nature to be sung or played as a ‘solo,’ with or without a distinct harmonized accompaniment; a melody.

1604.  trans. Acosta’s Hist. Indies, VI. xxviii. 493. With these instruments they made many kinds of Aires and Songs.

1656.  Cowley, Misc., i. (1669), 29. Whilst Angels sing to thee their ayres divine.

1678.  Butler, Hudibr., III. i. 919. For discords make the sweetest airs, And curses are a kind of pray’rs.

1684.  Lond. Gaz., mdccccxlvii/4. Beginning with an Overture and some Aires for Violins.

1763.  J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., § 12. 200. The Scotch Airs are perhaps the truest Model of artless and pathetic musical Expression, that can be found in the whole Compass of the Art.

1828.  Scott, F. M. Perth, II. 219. The very airs which I have the trick of whistling.

1871.  Black, Dau. Heth, xii. 115. ‘That “Flowers of the Forest” is a beautiful air, but you want it harmonised.’

1880.  Hullah, in Grove’s Dict. Mus., I. 47. Technically, an air is a composition for a single voice or any monophonous instrument, accompanied by other voices or by instruments.

  † b.  spec. A light or sprightly tune or song. Obs. (Perhaps due to popular confusion with airy, or with other sense of aria in Ital.)

1597.  Morley, Introd. Mus., 180. These and all other kinds of light musick sauing the Madrigal are by a generall name called ayres.

1789.  Burney, Hist. Mus. (ed. 2), I. vi. 65. The word air, or as the Italians call it Aria, includes a certain piece of music of a peculiar rhythm or cadence.

1880.  Hullah, in Grove’s Dict. Mus., I. 47. In the 16th and 17th centuries air represented popularly a cheerful strain.

  20.  That part of a harmonized composition for voices, instrument, or instruments, which manifestly predominates and gives character to it (supplying what, if sung or played alone, would be an ‘air’ in sense 2), as distinct from the other parts which form an accompaniment. In part-music this is usually the highest or soprano part.

1819.  Pantologia, I. s.v., Frequently, the principal vocal part is called the air.

Mod.  The air, which was at first allotted to the violins, was afterwards taken up by the clarionet. If you will sing the air, I will take the tenor.

  † 21.  A harmonized melody, a part-song. Obs.

1597.  Douland (title), The Firste Booke of Songes or Ayres of foure parts with Tableture for the Lute.

  V.  In Eastern Church. (See quot.)

c. 1620.  Bp. Andrewes, Minor Wks. (1854), 99. A cloth to lay over the chalice, wrought with coloured silk, called the aire.

1850.  Neale, Eastern Ch., III. ii. 350, note. The second veil has no distinctive name, but the third is called ἀὴρ or νεφέλη.

  B.  Air- in comb.

  I.  General relations, in which the hyphen has mostly a syntactical value, and also indicates a main stress on air-, as ai·r-brea:thing, ai·r-spu:n, ai·r-proo:f, ai·r-bu:bble.

  1.  objective: with active pple., as air-breathing, air-defiling, etc., or obj. genitive with n. of agent or action, as air-breather; air-condenser.

1559.  Mirr. Mag., 563 (T.). Air-threat’ning tops of cedars tall.

1647.  H. More, Song of Soul, III. xxxvi. Air-trampling ghosts.

1839–47.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., III. 910/1. The air-breathers or pulmonary Mollusca.

1847.  Carpenter, Zool., § 619. Air-conveying tubes, known under the name of tracheæ.

1855.  Owen, Skel. & Teeth, 8. Air-breathing vertebrates.

1882.  Macm. Mag., XLV. 500. Powerful air-pumping engines.

  2.  instrumental: with passive pple., as air-borne, air-bred, air-spun, etc.

1597.  Drayton, Mortim., 29. Amongst the ayre-bred moystie vapors throwne.

1599.  Soliman & Pers., III. in Hazl., Dods., V. 319. Air-bred eagles.

1641.  Milton, Ch. Govt., II. iii. (1851), 173. Like aire-born Helena in the fable.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., IX. 330. Those air-bred people, and thin goat-nursed Jove.

1783.  Sir J. Moore, Absence, ix. 33. Each air-form’d spectre.

1819.  Shelley, Prometh. Unb. (1878), II. 89. How fair these air-born shapes.

1827.  Hood, Hero & Leander, xxxii. An air-blown bubble.

1839.  Bailey, Festus, x. (1848), 110. This air-filled bowl.

1880.  Nature, No. 532. 232. The theory … that cholera is air-borne.

  3.  similative: as air-clear (clear as air), etc., and limitative, as AIR-TIGHT, air-proof.

1600.  Tourneur, Ovid’s Met., Prol., 40. Ayre-cleare brightnes. Ibid., xxi. 145. Sacred lights in ayre-cleare azurie.

1879.  Spon, Workshop Rects., 369. Waterproof but not air-proof … the great drawback of ordinary mackintoshes.

  4.  locative: with vbl. adj. or sb., as air-built, air-dance, air-fowling, etc.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., III. iv. 62. This is the Ayre-drawne-Dagger.

1658.  trans. Mouffet’s Theat. Ins., 994. The boyes … exercise their air-fowling not without profit and pleasure.

1727.  Pope, Dunc., III. 10. The air-built Castle, and the Golden Dream.

1784.  H. Walpole, in Bk. of Days, I. 326. I expect that they [aeronauts] will soon have an air-fight on the clouds.

1843.  Miall, Nonconf., III. 537. An air-built castle, which dissolves away before the gaze of reason.

1853.  Kingsley, Hypatia, xi. 128. Swallows … began their air-dance for the day.

1882.  J. Hawthorne, Fortune’s Fool, I. xii. The air-drawn picture of all the wondrous scenes that were in her memory.

  5.  attrib. (Composed or formed) Of air, as air-bubble, -current, -particle, -plume, -stream, -wave.

1600.  Tourneur, Ovid’s Met. (1878), 175. My fearelesse ayre-plume-pen.

1765.  Brownrigg, in Phil. Trans., LV. 220. Air-bubbles adhering to the insides of the bottles.

1774.  Goldsm., Hist. Earth, I. 34 (Jod.). To break these air-currents into smaller ones.

1827.  Carlyle, Misc. (1857), I. 11. A distorted incoherent series of air-landscapes.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. § 6. 45. The minute air-bubbles which incessantly escape from the glacier.

1869.  Hartwig, Polar W., 308. Soon the Polar air-streams regain the supremacy.

1881.  Broadhouse, Mus. Acoust., 75. Applying the visible motion of water-waves to illustrate the invisible motion of air-waves.

  6.  attrib. Of or pertaining to the air, as AIR-PLANT; air-castle, -root, -stone; air-sylph.

1817.  Coleridge, Biogr. Lit., 119. The wings of the air-sylph forming within the skin of the caterpillar.

  7.  attrib. For the use, reception, passage, of air; as air-bag, -furnace, -gland, -passage, -receptacle, -space, -syringe, -tube, -valve. Also AIR-BALLOON, -BLADDER, -BOX, -CELL, -CHAMBER, -GUN, -HOLE, -PIPE, -PUMP, -SHAFT, -VESSEL; and nearly all those in II. as air-ball, -bath, etc.

1784.  Wedgwood, in Phil. Trans., LXXIV. 370. Greatest heat of my small air-furnace.

1787.  Darwin, in Phil. Trans., LXXVIII. 50. A small cell, which is kept free from air by an air-syringe adapted to it.

1836.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., I. 99. The air-bags, for they scarcely deserve the name of lungs. Ibid., I. 345/1. The air-passages in birds. Ibid., I. 344/2. Continuous air-receptacles … subservient to the function of respiration.

1847.  Carpenter, Zool., § 619. The air-tubes of insects.

1859.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., V. 281/2. The so-called air-gland.

1869.  Eng. Mech., 22 Oct., 138/2. The pressure of steam … at once closes the air-valve.

  II.  Special combinations (with quotations in alphabetical order).

  Air-ball, a ball inflated with air, a toy so called; air-bath, an arrangement for drying chemical substances; air-bed, one with a mattress inflated with air; air-bloomery (see quot.); air-bone, a hollow bone for the reception of air, as in birds; air-brake, one worked by the pressure of condensed air; air-brick, one perforated for ventilation; air-canal (Bot.; see quot.); air-casing, the sheet-iron casing enclosing the base of a steamer chimney, to prevent conduction of heat to the deck; air-castle, a castle-in-the-air, a visionary or baseless project; air-cavity, one of the intercellular spaces in water-plants; air-cock, a stop-cock for letting air out or in; air-condenser, an instrument for condensing air in a vessel; air-cure, a cure by the use of air, cf. water-cure; air-cushion, one inflated with air instead of being stuffed; air-drain, a covered channel round the external walls of a building to prevent damp, a ‘dry area’; air-duct, a passage for air, esp. to the air-bladder of fishes; air-engine, one actuated by the elastic force of heated air; air-escape, a valve for allowing the escape of air from water-pipes; air-fountain, one of which the jet is raised by condensed air; air-grating, a grating or perforated plate for the entrance of air under floors, etc.; air-hammer, a large hammer moved by compressed air; air-head, -ing (see quot.); air-holder, an air-tight vessel or receiver; air-jacket, one with air-tight lining, which, when inflated, supports the wearer in water; air-line, a direct line through the air, a bee-line; air-loop (see quot.); air-monger, one who occupies himself with visionary projects; air-pillow (see air-cushion); † air-pistol, one in which the propelling power is the explosive force of inflammable gases; air-poise, an instrument for weighing air; air-port, a port-hole in a ship for ventilation; † air-quake, cf. earthquake; air-road (= air-way); air-root, the root of an epiphyte, which hangs free in the air; air-sac = AIR-CELL; air-scuttle (= air-port); air-ship, one propelled by an air-engine; air-sickness, cf. sea-sickness; † air-spring, elasticity of the air; air-stone, aerolite; air-stove, one that heats a stream of air passing between its surface and an outer casing; air-thermometer, one that measures temperature by the expansion of a column of air; air-threads, the slender threads of the gossamer spider seen floating in the air; air-trap, a contrivance for preventing the escape of foul air from sewers. etc.; air-way, a passage along which the current of air travels in a mine, fitted with doors which open only in the direction of the current; air-whistle, cf. steam-whistle.

1869.  Eng. Mech., 24 Sept. 29/2. The India-rubber coloured *air-balls, which are sold at fairs.

1881.  Miss Braddon, Asph., I. 17. Children … flying gaudy-coloured air-balls.

1859.  W. Gregory, Egypt & Tunis, II. 204. We were lent two *air-beds by friends.

1860.  W. Fordyce, Hist. Coal, 110. The first smelting furnace … was undoubtedly the *Air-Bloomery, a low conical structure, with small openings at the bottom for the admission of air, and a larger orifice at the top for carrying off the gaseous products of combustion.

1855.  Owen, Skel. & Teeth, 7. The extremities of such *air-bones present a light, open net-work.

1857.  Henfrey, Elem. Bot., § 734. *Air-canals are long tubular channels, in petioles, or stems, bounded by a cellular wall.

1831.  Carlyle, Sart. Res. (1858), 32. High *Air-castles cunningly built of Words.

1839.  W. Irving, Wolf. Roost (1855), 217. Golden fancies, and splendid *air-castles.

1800.  Henry, Epit. Chem. (1808), 56. Glass jars … provided with *air-cocks.

1876.  L. Tollemache, in Fortn. Rev., March, 363. Whether the fault lies both with the *air-cure and with the iron-cure, or with the iron-cure only.

1836–7.  Dickens, Sk. Boz (1850), 182/1. An easy chair with an *air-cushion.

1870.  Rolleston, Anim. Life, Introd. p. lxxv. The presence or absence of an *air-duct to the air-bladder.

1873.  Dawson, Earth & Man, v. 100. In the bony pike … there is an extremely large air-bladder … communicating with the mouth by an air-duct.

1873.  B. Stewart, Conserv. Force, iv. 105. The steam-engine, the *air-engine, and all varieties of heat engines.

1839.  Murchison, Silur. Syst., I. xxxvi. 490. Ventilation is effected by means of *air-heads driven through the fault.

1881.  R. Raymond, in Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining, IX. 99. *Air-head, or Air-heading, S. Staf. A smaller passage, driven parallel with the gate-road, and near its roof, to carry the ventilating current. It is connected with the gate-road at intervals by openings called spouts.

1806.  Davy, in Phil. Trans., XCVII. 12. I filled it with hydrogene gas from a convenient *airholder.

1852.  Grote, Greece, IX. II. lxx. 160. If we measure on Kiepert’s map the rectilineal distance, the *air-line is 170 English miles.

1757.  Smeaton, in Phil. Trans., L. 202. On the north and south side, are two narrow windows or *air-loops.

1627.  Feltham, Resolves, I. xv. Wks. 1677, 25. Thou *Airmonger, that with a madding thought, thus chaseth fleeting shadows.

1779.  Ingenhousz, in Phil. Trans., LXIX. 398. The compound of the two airs in the *air pistol takes fire.

1667[?].  Sprat, Hist. Roy. Soc., III. 363 (T.). Small mutations of the air … insensible by the more common *airpoises.

1746.  Berkeley, in Fraser’s Life, viii. (1871), 318. We are not to think the late shocks merely an *air-quake (as they call it).

1750.  Phil. Trans., XLVI. 700. A certain ingenious gentleman would not allow the last shock of an Earthquake in London to be an Earthquake … but rather calls it an Airquake, because it was lateral.

1866.  Morn. Star, 18 Dec., 6/2. We went down the *air road, thinking that we might be able to get to the shaft that way.

1863.  H. Bates, Riv. Amazons, ii. (1864), 29. The *air-roots of epiphytous plants, which sit on the boughs of the trees above.

1836.  Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., I. 37/2. The *air-sac [of the Physalus].

1879.  Wright, Anim. Life, 4. The air-tubes of the lungs do not end in air-sacs.

1748.  Anson, Voy., I. iv. (ed. 4), 50. The Commodore ordered six *air-scuttles to be cut in each ship.

1855.  W. Boyd, New York Pred. It ploughed gently the sea … the *air-ship of Eric.

1784.  H. Walpole, in Bk. of Days (1863), I. 325. If there is no *air-sickness … I would prefer a balloon to the packet boat.

1660.  Boyle, Exp. Phys.-Mech., i. 27. An account plausible enough of the *Air-spring.

1608.  Lett., in Wright’s Dict. They talk of divers prodigies … but specially *air-stones.

1879.  Warren, Astron., vi. 123. These are called aerolites or air-stones.

1806.  Davy, in Phil. Trans., XCVII. 47. A small *air-thermometer capable of being immersed in the gold cones.

1871.  Tyndall, Fragm. Sc. (ed. 6), II. xvi. 451. Incompetent to … affect the most delicate air-thermometer.

1753.  Chambers, Cycl. Supp., *Air-threads are not only found in autumn, but even in the depth of winter.

1880.  Colliery Guard., 5 Nov. [It] drives the gas, in a diluted state, into the *airways, and so carries it away to the upcast.

1870.  W. Boyd, Morse Alph. Telegraphy by steam-whistle, *air-whistle, musical instrument, or light.