to take the air
2
3.5
- phrasal verb
- Archaic
:
salir a tomar el aire
- Let's take the air in the park to enjoy the beautiful weather.
- just take the air
Examples
-
Later, when Selina and William strolled onto the terrace to take the air, Lady Dustan kept her eye on George, who seemed rather downcast.
Fiction book (1998) -
Well, it looks as if I'd better take the air.
-
Did he go there to take the air?
-
Then I shall take the air alone.
-
Will you take the air with me?
-
We were taking the air.
-
Instead, I said, "I was just taking the air."
Fiction book (1992) -
If he sees us, we're just taking the air.
-
The Countess and I were just off to take the air on the boat deck.
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See the gentry in the country riding out to take the air.
Blog text (4)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To move on foot at a normal speed
40
2.5
To go outside to breathe fresh air after being inside for a while
1
2.3
To go outside briefly to breathe and feel better
Antonyms
How Active
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to go outdoors for a walk/get fresh air' is directly derivable from combining 'take' (to get/receive/move something) with 'air' (the atmosphere/breeze) — i.e. to take (get) some air. The fixed article 'the' and slightly formal register do not block compositional interpretation, and many languages (e.g. French prendre l'air, Spanish tomar el aire) use the same logic, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will likely understand it.
Etymology
Take the air comes from the simple image of stepping outside and literally taking fresh air. In the past, people walked in parks or by the sea to 'take the air' for health and pleasure, so the phrase now means 'to go outside for fresh air'.