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affair

n.
US //əˈfɛɹ// UK //ɐfˈeə// af·fair
  1. 1 matters or business (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    matters or events that are connected with a person, a group, or a country.

    matters of public or private business; often used in the plural to describe professional or political concerns.

    Example

    The minister refused to comment on the internal affairs of the neighboring country.

    Example

    The board of directors is responsible for managing the financial affairs of the corporation and ensuring legal compliance.

    Usage

    Often used in the plural form 'affairs' when referring to business or politics.
  2. 2 secret relationship (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a secret sexual relationship between two people, especially when at least one of them is married to someone else.

    a romantic or sexual relationship between two people who are not married to each other, typically involving infidelity.

    Example

    He found out that his wife was having an affair with a colleague from work.

    Example

    The tabloid press thrived on rumors of a clandestine affair between the high-profile politician and the famous actress.
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  1. 3 an event or situation (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an event, situation, or object that you are describing in a particular way.

    an event, proceeding, or physical object that is characterized by a specific quality or adjective.

    Example

    The whole dinner party was a very formal affair with many strict rules.

    Example

    The investigation into the missing funds became a long and complicated affair that lasted for several years.
  2. 4 minor military battle (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Military

    a small fight between soldiers that is not big enough to be called a full battle.

    a military engagement or skirmish of limited scale, typically involving smaller units rather than entire armies.

    Example

    The border affair resulted in a few injuries but did not lead to a full-scale war.

    Example

    Historians describe the encounter as a minor affair, though it significantly impacted the morale of the local garrison.
Origin

From Middle English afere, affere, from Old French afaire, from a- + faire (“to do”), from Latin ad- + facere (“to do”). See fact, and compare ado.

Idioms1 entry

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