AIRS
ADJECTIVES
1578 — AFFECTATE assuming artificial airs → obs.
1580 — AFFECTATED assuming artificial airs → obs.
..E17 — LADYFIED affecting the airs of a fashionable lady → sl.
1606 — AIRY assuming airs; making lofty pretensions
1715 — PENSY giving oneself airs; proud and conceited; above one’s station; affected in manner → obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
1788 — PENSIFUL giving oneself airs; proud, conceited → Sc.
..19C — HOIT-A-POIT assuming airs of importance unsuitable to years or action; presuming, forward → Eng. dial.
1829 — STUCK-UP assuming airs, dignity, or importance; conceited → colloq.
1837 — AIRIFIED → AIRYFIED given to assuming airs; pretentious, affectedly superior
1887 — BIG-FEELING putting on airs; haughty, proud, conceited → Amer. dial.
1900 — GAINTERING having the appearance of assuming conceited airs → Sc. (Bk.)
1905 — ONTAKING taking airs upon oneself, assuming → Sc. (Bk.)
1906 — FEISTY → FICETY putting on airs; acting so as to show off or drawn attention to oneself → Amer. dial.
1943 — AIRISH inclined to put on airs → Amer. dial.
1954 — FANCY putting on airs; highfalutin, pretentious → Amer. dial.
1966 — FALUTIN putting on airs → Amer. dial.
1967 — HANKY putting on airs; said of a woman → Amer. dial.
1970 — GUSSY putting on airs → Amer. dial.
2003 — FANDANGEE assuming an air of superiority; overdressed → Trinidad and Tobago
NOUNS
..19C — NIDDY-NODDIES assumed airs or fine or showy manners, as shown by the movement of the head; used contemptuously → Sc.
1808 — TANTRUM affected airs, palavers → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1884 — ANTRIMS airs, whims, caprices, with an implication of temper; tantrums → Eng. dial.
1900 — ONTACK airs and affectations, assumption → Sc.
1905 — MOLLETS fantastic airs; sly winks → Sc. (Bk.)
1913 — FLAMIGIGS airs and graces; affectations → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1913 — LOLLYGAGS airs, affectations, love-making → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
NOUNS, PERSON
1529 — PRICK-ME-DAINTY a person who affects airs of superiority; one who is finicky and conceited in dress and carriage; a dandy → chiefly Sc.
1555 — JACKANAPES a pert, impertinent, or conceited fellow who assumes ridiculous airs; a coxcomb, a fop
1583 — HUFF-SNUFF a conceited fellow who gives himself airs and is quick to take offense; a braggart, a hector, a blustering person → obs.
..E18 — PUT-ON a person who affects airs → sl.
1816 — FLISKMAHOY a woman who gives herself airs; a giddy, ostentatious person; a flighty girl → Sc.
1825 — GAINTERER a person who puts on conceited airs → Sc. obs.
1839 — FINNICKS a woman who puts on airs; one who behaves in a finicking manner → Eng. dial.
1850 — PAVIE → PEEVEE a person who puts on airs; a frivolous, giddy person; one who loves display; a show-off → Sc.
1855 — GUTTER-BLOOD a vulgar man who puts on airs; a parvenu → chiefly Sc. colloq.
1887 — HALF-STRAINER a person who puts on airs, and tries to associate with his superiors; a social climber; one who tries to live above one’s true station → Amer. dial.
1890 — GADDERMAN a boy who puts on the airs of a man → Ireland
1892 — BIGGITY a man who is giving himself airs; one inclined to be independent, consequential, or assuming → African-American usage (Bk.)
1896 — HALF-WAY STRAINER a person who puts on airs, and tries to associate with his superiors; a social climber; one who tries to live above one’s true station → Amer. dial.
1900 — TIP-TOE NANCY an affected girl putting on airs → Amer. dial.
1909 — PUT-ON a woman put puts on a lot of airs → Amer. dial.
1926 — ARNCHY a person who puts on airs → Amer. dial., African-American usage
1935 — FANCY PANTS a person who puts on airs → sl., orig. US
1942 — SILVERTAIL a person who puts on airs and graces; an affected person; a social climber → sl.
1943 — BIGNADUO a person who puts on airs a boaster, a bumptious person, a show-off → W. Indies
1965 — MISS PRISSY-PRIM a woman who puts on a lot of airs → Amer. dial.
1966 — MISS ASTOR → MRS. ASTOR a woman who puts on a lot of airs; an elite ‘social leader’ of a community; usually mocking → Amer. dial.
VERBS
1470 — TAKE to assume airs; to take too much upon one; to behave presumptuously or haughtily → obs.
1611 — MAKE IT GOODLY to give oneself airs → obs.
1631 — AFFECT to put on airs; to assume artificial or pretended manners → obs.
1668 — TAKE ON to assume airs; to behave proudly or haughtily; to presume; to take liberties
..E18 — PUT ON → PUT UP to affect airs → sl.
1794 — MISKEN to assume airs of superiority → Sc. & Eng. dial.
..19C — FRIMICATE to give oneself airs; to be affected → Eng. dial.
1822 — GANDER to use conceited airs and gestures; to stretch the neck like a gander → Sc.
1825 — GAINTER to use conceited airs and gestures → Sc. obs.
.M19 — PILE ON DOG to put on airs; to show off; to something energetically or noisily → sl, orig. US.
1865 — PUT ON THE DOG to put on airs; to behave or dress in an ostentatious or showy manner; to show off → sl., orig. US
1871 — MOUNT THE HIGH HORSE of a person affecting airs of superiority: to be overbearing or oppressive; to be proud; to take offense
1878 — PUT ON SIDE to give oneself airs → sl.
1882 — LAY ON JAM to give oneself airs → Aust. sl.
1882 — PUT ON JAM to give oneself airs → Aust. sl.
1884 — KICK UP SHINES to put on airs; to be proud → Amer. dial.
1889 — PILE ON LUGS to put on airs → US sl.
1889 — PUT ON LUGS to put on airs → US sl.
1893 — PUT ON PARTS to give oneself airs → Eng. dial.
1898 — BIGGEN to give oneself airs → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
..L19 — SWAY ALL TOP ROPES to give oneself airs → sl.
1904 — SCAWT to give oneself airs; to boast, to walk arrogantly → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1905 — BE ALL MAN AND SHIRT to put on consequential airs; to be proud → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1910 — SIDE to put on airs; to act in a pretentious manner → sl.
1913 — CUT DIDOES to put on airs and graces → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1913 — CUT DINGDOES to put on airs and graces → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1915 — SWAMP to put on airs; to show off → World War I usage
1947 — THINK ONE’S SHIT DOESN’T STINK to put on airs; to have an unjustifiably high opinion of oneself; to be conceited → US sl.
Lexicophilia 