- affair
- [[t]əfe͟ə(r)[/t]]
♦♦affairs1) N-SING: the N If an event or a series of events has been mentioned and you want to talk about it again, you can refer to it as the affair.
The government has mishandled the whole affair...
The affair began when customs officials inspected a convoy of 60 tankers...
The industry minister described the affair as `an absolute scandal'.
Syn:business, matter2) N-SING: usu the n-proper N You can refer to an important or interesting event or situation as `the ... affair'. [mainly JOURNALISM]...the damage caused to the CIA and FBI in the aftermath of the Watergate affair.
...confidential Bank of England documents relating to the BCCI affair.
3) N-SING: usu supp N You can describe the main quality of an event by saying that it is a particular kind of affair.Michael said that his planned 10-day visit would be a purely private affair...
Breakfast will be a cheerless affair for the Prime Minister this morning.
4) N-SING: supp N You can describe an object as a particular kind of affair when you want to draw attention to a particular feature, or indicate that it is unusual.All their beds were distinctive; Mac's was an iron affair with brass knobs...
He tried dividing it into two bundles, tying them to his walking stick, and slinging the whole affair across his back.
5) N-COUNT If two people who are not married to each other have an affair, they have a sexual relationship.→ See also love affairMarried male supervisors were carrying on affairs with female subordinates in the office.
6) N-PLURAL: usu supp N You can use affairs to refer to all the important facts or activities that are connected with a particular subject.→ See also , state of affairsHe does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of another country...
With more details, here's our foreign affairs correspondent.
7) N-PLURAL: usu poss N Your affairs are all the matters connected with your life which you consider to be private and normally deal with yourself.He was rational and consistent in the conduct of his affairs...
The unexpectedness of my father's death meant that his affairs were not entirely in order.
8) N-SING: poss N If you say that a decision or situation is someone's affair, you mean that it is their responsibility, and other people should not interfere.If you wish to make a fool of yourself and damage your career here, that is your affair...
If they want to stay and fight, then I guess that's their affair.
Syn:
English dictionary. 2008.
