/affair-meaning

/affair-meaning-etymology

-) Noun.

-) Plural: affairs. 

-) Pronunciation and accent: əfɛə(r).

-) Etymology: from Old French afaire, originally infinitive phrase à faire “to do”, from Latin ad + facere “to do”, like ado in English for at do. It is identical with the Italian affare and French affaire.

-) Documented since 1300.

-) 1. -) a. What one has to do; what one has ado; what has to be done.

-) Synonyms for “affair”: ados; business.

The affair of the establishment of a government is a very difficult undertaking.

E. Burke… Policy… 1793

Mary actually knew everything about my domestic affairs almost as well as if she had lived opposite to me herself, for my neighbours knew a good deal about me. 

Walter… My Secret Life… 1888

Her domestic affairs. 

Thomas Hardy… A Changed Man… 1913

Now this affair of putting up walls and connecting them strongly with a roof has been the chief concern of architects.

A. Butler… Architecture‎… 1927

-) 2. Abusive meaning: a thing that concerns any one or anything; a concern, a matter.

It's an affair of money. 

G. Meredith… The Egoist… 1879

According to the psychiatrists, mental disturbance is primarily an affair of emotion and desire rather than of intellect.

R. S. Woodworth… Psychology… 1921

-) 3. In plural: deeds; doings; occupations.

-) Synonyms: businesses; pursuits, transactions.

-) Antonyms: events, accidents.

I did not pretend to disguise from my perception the identity of the singular individual who thus perseveringly interfered with my affairs, and harassed me with his insinuated counsel. 

Poe… William… 1839

-) Particularly: -) a. Commercial or professional businesses. -) b. Public businesses; governmental transactions; functional deeds concerning either a nation or nations collectively. 

This interpreter was a person employed to transact affairs with the Hollanders. 

J. Swift… Gulliver’s Travels… 1726

Men of affairs, trained to business.  

S. Smiles… Character… 1871

Our foreign affairs.

E. Burke… Works… 1887

-) 4. In singular: in this acceptation, the word “affair” synonymizes vaguely with “case”, “factual thing”, “happening”, etc.)

I will tell you all I know about this affair; - but I do not expect you to believe one half I say - I would be a fool indeed if I did. 

Poe… The Murders… 1841

I betook myself to a more methodical investigation of the affair. 

Poe… The Gold-Bug… 1843

Since the affair of the letter, I had been in the habit of watching her house, and thus discovered that, about twilight, it was her custom to promenade, attended only by a negro in livery, in a public square overlooked by her windows. 

Poe… The Spectacles… 1844

The affair had occurred years and years ago; but what I had said had made him think and dream about it as if it were but yesterday. 

Hardy… Desperate Remedies… 1871

One evening, about a week after the affair of the picture, as he was sitting talking to Mrs. Bedwin, there came a message down from Mr. Brownlow, that if Oliver Twist felt pretty well, he should like to see him in his study, and talk to him a little while. 

Dickens… Oliver… 1838

-) 5. This meaning is familiar: thing; a material object. 

 

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