Word Confusion: Air vs Err vs Heir

FEMININE for the noun: heiress

Plural for the noun: heirs, heiresses

Third person present verb: airs
Past tense or past participle: aired
Present participle: airing

Of or relating to aircraft or to aviation

Taking place in the air

• Aerial

Adverb:
[Obsolete; Scottish] Before ⁴

• Previously

Noun:
Invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen ¹

• This substance regarded as necessary for breathing
• Free or unconfined space above the surface of the earth
• [Used as an adjective] Used to indicate that something involves the use of aircraft
• The earth’s atmosphere as a medium for transmitting radio waves
• Considered as one of the four elements in ancient philosophy and in astrology (associated with the signs of Gemini, Aquarius, and Libra)
• Breeze or light wind
• Air conditioning
• A jump off the ground on a snowboard

[air of] An impression of a quality or manner given by someone or something ²

• [airs] An annoyingly affected and condescending manner

[Music] A tune or short melodious composition, typically a song ³

Verb, intransitive:
[Often followed by out] To be exposed to the open air ¹

To be broadcast or televised

Verb, transitive:
[Often be aired] Express an opinion or grievance publicly ¹

• Broadcast a program on radio or television
• [Archaic] Parade or show (something) ostentatiously

Expose a room to the open air in order to ventilate it

• Air oneself
• [Archaic] Go out in the fresh air

• Make a mistake

To stray from the right course or accepted standards

• [Often used as adjective, erring] Sin
• Do wrong
• Be incorrect

To act with bias, especially favorable bias

To go astray in thought, morals, or belief

[Archaic] To deviate from the true course, aim, or purpose

• [Figurative] A person inheriting and continuing the legacy of a predecessor

Verb, transitive:
[Chiefly South Midland and Southern US] To inherit

• Succeed to

We’ll need an air pump to blow up that big ol’ mattress.

Boeing rules the air industry.

World War I was the first air war.

Noun:
The air was stale.

The doctor told me to get some fresh air.

He celebrated by tossing his hat high in the air.

Air travel gets you there faster.

Radio stations have successfully sold products over the air.

She answered with a faint air of boredom.

He began to put on airs and think he could boss us around.

She sang a little air from the 1920s.

Verb, intransitive:
Open the window and let the room air out.

The programs were aired on India’s state TV network.

Verb, transitive:
He was airing a snowy hand and signet ring.

The window sashes were lifted regularly to air the room.

The erring brother who had wrecked his life was back.

I had erred in asking Emma to be my wife.

Both 2016 presidential candidates have erred in their moral choices.

“To err is human, to forgive divine” (Pope).

She aspired to marry the heir to the throne.

They saw themselves as the true heirs of the Enlightenment.

Verb, transitive:
“His sons in blooming youth were snatched by fate;
One only daughter heir’d the royal state” (Virgil).

“One only daughter heired the royal state” (Dryden, 432).

1. Middle English from the Old French air, which is from the Latin aer, which is from the Greek aēr, denoting the gas.
2. Late 16th century from the French air, which is probably from the Old French aire, meaning site, disposition, which is from the Latin ager, agr-, meaning field (influenced by 1).
3. Late 16th century from the Italian aria.
4. Before 900; Middle English; Old English ǣr, ēr (cognate with the German ehr), comparative of ār meaning soon, early and cognate with the Gothic air.