Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, air-bladder, or airbladder; air cell, air-cell, or aircell; air-pump, or airpump.
Air balloon. See Balloon. -- Air bath. (a) An apparatus for the application of air to the body. (b) An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature. -- Air castle. See Castle in the air, under Castle. -- Air compressor, a machine for compressing air to be used as a motive power. -- Air crossing, a passage for air in a mine. -- Air cushion, an air-tight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined air. -- Air fountain, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed air. -- Air furnace, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast. -- Air line, a straight line; a bee line. Hence Air-line, adj.; as, air-line road. -- Air lock (Hydr. Engin.), an intermediate chamber between the outer air and the compressed-air chamber of a pneumatic caisson. Knight. -- Air port (Nav.), a scuttle or porthole in a ship to admit air. -- Air spring, a spring in which the elasticity of air is utilized. -- Air thermometer, a form of thermometer in which the contraction and expansion of air is made to measure changes of temperature. -- Air threads, gossamer. -- Air trap, a contrivance for shutting off foul air or gas from drains, sewers, etc.; a stench trap. -- Air trunk, a pipe or shaft for conducting foul or heated air from a room. -- Air valve, a valve to regulate the admission or egress of air; esp. a valve which opens inwardly in a steam boiler and allows air to enter. -- Air way, a passage for a current of air; as the air way of an air pump; an air way in a mine. -- In the air. (a) Prevalent without traceable origin or authority, as rumors. (b) Not in a fixed or stable position; unsettled. (c) (Mil.) Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank; as, the army had its wing in the air. -- To take air, to be divulged; to be made public. -- To take the air, to go abroad; to walk or ride out.
Air (âr), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aired (ârd); p. pr. & vb. n. Airing.] [See Air, n., and cf. Aërate.] 1. To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room.
It were good wisdom . . . that the jail were aired.
Bacon.
Were you but riding forth to air yourself.
Shak.
2. To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion.
Airing a snowy hand and signet gem.
Tennyson.
3. To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors.
Air" bed` (&?;). A sack or matters inflated with air, and used as a bed.
Air" blad`der (&?;). 1. (Anat.) An air sac, sometimes double or variously lobed, in the visceral cavity of many fishes. It originates in the same way as the lungs of air-breathing vertebrates, and in the adult may retain a tubular connection with the pharynx or esophagus.
2. A sac or bladder full of air in an animal or plant; also an air hole in a casting.
Air" brake` (&?;). (Mach.) A railway brake operated by condensed air. Knight.
Air"-built` (&?;), a. Erected in the air; having no solid foundation; chimerical; as, an air-built castle.
Air" cell` (&?;). 1. (Bot.) A cavity in the cellular tissue of plants, containing air only.
2. (Anat.) A receptacle of air in various parts of the system; as, a cell or minute cavity in the walls of the air tubes of the lungs; the air sac of birds; a dilatation of the air vessels in insects.
Air" cham`ber (&?;). 1. A chamber or cavity filled with air, in an animal or plant.
2. A cavity containing air to act as a spring for equalizing the flow of a liquid in a pump or other hydraulic machine.
Air" cock` (&?;). A faucet to allow escape of air.
Air"-drawn" (&?;), a. Drawn in air; imaginary.
This is the air-drawn dagger.
Shak.
Air" drill` (&?;). A drill driven by the elastic pressure of condensed air; a pneumatic drill. Knight.
Air" engine` (&?;). An engine driven by heated or by compressed air. Knight.
Air"er (&?;), n. 1. One who exposes to the air.