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Nothing vs Air - What's the difference?

nothing | air |

As nouns the difference between nothing and air

is that nothing is something trifling, or of no consequence or importance while air is .

As a pronoun nothing

is not any thing; no thing.

As an adverb nothing

is (archaic) not at all; in no way.

nothing

English

Alternative forms

* (nonstandard) nuffin, nuffink, nuttin'

Pronoun

(wikipedia nothing) (English Pronouns)
  • Not any thing; no thing.
  • *
  • * , chapter=19
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=(Peter Wilby)
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Finland spreads word on schools , passage=Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.}}
  • An absence of anything, including empty space, brightness, darkness, matter, or a vacuum.
  • (slang, in double negatives) Anything
  • I didn't see nothing. [= I didn't see anything].

    Synonyms

    * (not any thing) ** (standard) not a thing ** (slang) jack, nada, zip ** (vulgar slang) bugger all, jack shit, sod all (British), fuck all ** (Northern English dialect) nowt :: See * (something trifling) nothing of any consequence, nothing consequential, nothing important, nothing significant, something inconsequential, something insignificant, something of no consequence, something trifling, something unimportant

    Antonyms

    * anything * everything * something

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance.
  • What happened to your face?'' — ''It's nothing.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • Sermons are not like curious inquiries after new nothings , but pursuances of old truths.
  • A trivial remark (especially in the term (sweet nothings)).
  • A nobody (insignificant person).
  • You're nothing to me now!

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (archaic) Not at all; in no way.
  • *
  • Derived terms

    * benothing * better than nothing * for nothing * if nothing else * it's nothing * have nothing on (someone) * leave nothing in the tank * less than nothing * next to nothing * nothing at all * nothing but * nothing doing * nothingness * nothing succeeds like success * there's nothing to it * think nothing of it

    See also

    * nobody, no one * nowhere

    References

    *

    air

    English

    Noun

  • (uncountable, historical, astrology, alchemy, science) The atmospheric substance above the surface of the earth which animals breathe, formerly considered to be a single substance, one of the four basic elements of ancient philosophy and one of the five basic elements of Eastern traditions.
  • (uncountable, physics, meteorology) That substance, now understood as the mixture of gases comprising the earth's atmosphere.
  • (usually, with the) The apparently open space above the ground; the mass of this substance around the earth.
  • A breeze; a gentle wind.
  • A feeling or sense.
  • * November 2 2014 , Daniel Taylor, " Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
  • Smalling’s quick one-two of yellow cards towards the end of the first half had left an air of inevitability about what would follow and, if anything, it was probably a surprise that City restricted themselves to Sergio Agüero’s goal bearing in mind another of United’s defenders, Marcos Rojo, was taken off on a stretcher early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder.
  • * 1900 , , (The House Behind the Cedars) , Chapter I,
  • The girl stooped to pluck a rose, and as she bent over it, her profile was clearly outlined. She held the flower to her face with a long-drawn inhalation, then went up the steps, crossed the piazza, opened the door without knocking, and entered the house with the air of one thoroughly at home.
  • A sense of poise, graciousness, or quality.
  • * 1815 , (Jane Austen), (Emma) , :
  • "He is very plain, undoubtedly--remarkably plain:--but that is nothing compared with his entire want of gentility. I had no right to expect much, and I did not expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air . I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility."
  • (usually plural) Pretension]]; [[snobby, snobbishness; pretence that one is better than others.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.}}
  • (music) A song, especially a solo; an aria.
  • * 1813 , (Jane Austen), (Pride and Prejudice) , :
  • "If I," said Mr. Collins, "were so fortunate as to be able to sing, I should have great pleasure, I am sure, in obliging the company with an air ; for I consider music as a very innocent diversion, and perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman"
  • (informal) Nothing; absence of anything.
  • An air conditioner or the processed air it produces. Can be a mass noun or a count noun depending on context; similar to hair .
  • (obsolete, chemistry) Any specific gas.
  • (snowboarding, skateboarding, motor sports) A jump in which one becomes airborne.
  • Synonyms

    * * atmosphere * aura * nimbus

    Derived terms

    * airbag * air base * air bed * airborne * air bounce * airbrake * airbrush * air bubble * airbus * air cargo * air carrier * air chamber * Air Chief Marshal * air cleaner * Air Commodore * air compressor * air-conditioned * air-conditioner * air-conditioning * air-cooled * air corridor * aircraft * aircrew * air cushion * air display * airdrome * airdrop * air duct * airfield * air flow * air force * airframe * air freight * air freshener * air guitar * airgun * air hole * air hostess * airing cupboard * air intake * air lane * airless * air letter * airlift * airline * airliner * airlock * airmail * airman * Air Marshal * air mattress * air navigation * air out * airplane * air pocket * airport * air pressure * air pump * air purifier * air quotes * air raid * air rifle * airscrew * air-sea rescue * air shaft * airshed * airship * air show * airsick * airsickness * air sign * airspace * airspeed * airstrike * airstrip * airsuit * air support * airtaxi * air terminal * airtight * air time * air-to-air * air-to-ground * air-to-surface * air traffic control * air traffic controller * air vent * Air Vice Marshal * airwaves * airway * airwoman * airworthiness * airworthy * airy * alkaline air * breath of fresh air * build castles in the air * catch air * castle in the air * clear the air * dead air * dephlogisticated air * fire air * fixed air * fluoro acid air * fresh air * get some air / take some air * give oneself airs * hepatic air * hot air * inflammable air * in the air * into thin air * mid-air * mephitic air * nitrous air * on air * on the air * phlogisticated air * pure air * put on airs * too many balls in the air * up in the air * vital air * vitriolic acid air (air)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it.
  • To let fresh air into a room or a building, to ventilate.
  • It's getting quite stuffy in this room: let's open the windows and air it.
  • To discuss varying viewpoints on a given topic.
  • * 1917 , National Geographic , :
  • Thus, in spite of all opposition, the rural and urban assemblies retained the germ of local government, and in spite of the dual control, as the result of which much of their influence was nullified, they did have a certain value in airing abuses and suggesting improvements.
  • To broadcast, as with a television show.
  • Statistics

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