To put on airs, also give airs, put in airs, give yourself airs, is an English language idiom and a colloquial phrase meant to describe a person who acts superior, or one who behaves as if they are more important than others. It is derived from the French word "air", meaning appearance, and was first used in the

1500s 1500s may refer to: * The period from 1500 to 1599, almost synonymous with the 16th century (1501–1600) * 1500s (decade), the period from 1500 to 1509 {{Letter-NumberCombDisambig ...

. Variations of the phrase were used throughout the 1700s. The phrase appears in the 1911 ''Dictionary of French and English'' by John Bellows. It appears under the entry for the French word meaning to pose, and more specifically "poseur: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not: an affected or insincere person".

History

The phrase is derived from the French word "air" which meant appearance or look. The phrase has been in use since the

1500s 1500s may refer to: * The period from 1500 to 1599, almost synonymous with the 16th century (1501–1600) * 1500s (decade), the period from 1500 to 1509 {{Letter-NumberCombDisambig ...

. To "Give Airs" was also referred to as a fake way of acting. "Put on" is in modern emphatic use means: "to assume deceptively or falsely; to feign, affect or pretend." The phrase appears in the records of the 1661 Witchcraft trial of Florence Newton. It was said that a woman named Mary Longdon, "...believed her position gave her the right to airs and graces". It is considered an English Language idiom. The phrase was used in a published book from the

1700s 1700s may refer to: * The century from 1700 to 1799, almost synonymous with the 18th century (1701–1800) * 1700s (decade) The 1700s decade ran from January 1, 1700, to December 31, 1709. The decade is marked by a shift in the political structur ...

, ''Put in Airs''. The term was used in a book from 1759 by George Farquhar ''The Constant Couple'' "...when she puts on her airs, as you call it." The phrase appears also in 1776 in a book by Francis Beaumont called ''Humorous Lieutenant'': "You can give yourself Airs sometimes..." Amidst the

United States Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

, in 1864, a minstrel song (a genre now considered to be racially offensive) with a chorus and eight verses was published. It includes these lyrics: "Oh! white folks listen, will you now, this darkey's going to sing -.," and including two verses about personal

vanity Vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness to others. Prior to the 14th century it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant ''futility''. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic ...

, followed by five on various

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

's victories over the Confederacy, concluding: "Now where's this boasted chivalry, who sport the Stars and Bars? / Why they're learning from our Yankee boys the way to put on airs." It has been variously defined. For example, an 1869 textbook says: "Put on a counterfeit appearance" An 1882 dictionary says: "To put on airs, to assume airs of importance." Another more modern usage: "put on airs and graces to behave affectedly." Typified by false claims of mastery, superiority or pretense. Putting on airs is an example of divergence behavior, that can be, acting in a contrary way to dissociate oneself from their peers. It is similar to acting boorishly at a

wedding reception A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Put on airs Colloquial terms

Category Category, plural categories, may refer to: Philosophy and general uses *Categorization, categories in cognitive science, information science and generally * Category of being * ''Categories'' (Aristotle) * Category (Kant) * Categories (Peirce) ...

Airs Language varieties and styles English-language idioms 1790s fashion 19th-century fashion Human appearance Neologisms History of clothing (Western fashion) Upper class culture Pidgins and creoles

History

See also

References