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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Air, Are, n.¹ Also: aire, aier(e, aiar, ayer(e, ayor, ayr, ayir, aiyre, aer, aere (hear); ar (hare). [ME. air, aire, are, also eir, eyr, OF. eir, also heir.]

1. A male heir. Son and air: see Son n. Also fig.Air apperand, female, general, male, portioner; air of one's body, line, provision, by progress, etc.; burges, lauchful, nerrest, richtwis, verray air; see these words.(a) 1375 Barb. xii. 320 (his ayr his land sall weild). 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 295 (the forsaid Alexander and his ayres). c1420 Wynt. ii. 744 (he wes noucht hys fadyre ayre). 1456 Hay I. 260/16 (gif ane man suld be aire till ane othir). 1470 Douglas Chart. 101 (neuo and ayre to schir Alexander). 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 35 (the lard langis efter land to leif to his ayr). a1568 Bann. MS. 135 a/18 (gud win at the dyis riches not the air). 1616 Crim. Trials III. 404 (being servet and retouret air to the said James). 1652 Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) App. 24/2 (I obleis me and my airis to … ). 1690 Acts IX. App. 162/1 (such persons aires).(b) 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 410 (Sir Patrick and his ayeris). 1407 Bk. Carlaverock II. 417 (vs and our ayerrys). 1463 Wemyss Chart. II. 82 (the said Johne and his aeris). 1488 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 170* (the said Lyone or his ayoris). 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 236/2 (the said Alexander nor his aeris). 1545 Montgomery Mem. 138 (the said Hewe or his ayires). 1559 Fam. Rose 227 (our aieris, executouris, etc.).(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 1027 (a knaf to bruk his land and be his are). c1420 Wynt. iv. 1792 (that land to thame and to thar aris to wyn). 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 116 (to the arris comand of tham). 1505 Dunferm. B. Rec. 150 (him na his arris). 1533 Gau 32/28 (thane ar we his barnis and aris). 1546 Acts II. 475/2 (brudir and are to the said chancellar). 1607 Melrose R. Rec. I. 55 (are to his umquhill father).

2. A female heir; an heiress. a1400 Leg. S. l. 568.
For thu art … douchtir of a king & aire c1400 Troy-bk. i. 381.
The king … Send eftre Medea. Hys doughtre derrest and hys ayre c1450-2 Howlat 549.
Ane callit Murray … Deit, and a douchter had till his deir aire a1500 Henr. Bludy S. 10.
Off all fairheid scho bur the flour, And eik hir faderis air c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 182.
I am, quod scho, my Fatheris air c 1563 Reg. Panmure I. p. xxxi.
He payit the towchers of the lard of Panlathys tua dochters, quha wer ayres 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Arage.
The said Isobel, dauchter and aire to Duncane Earl of Fife 1622-6 Bisset I. 59/23.
Robert Stewarte … mareit the air of Cruikstoun

3. Said fig. of things. 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 395.
Wisdom to vertu is the verray air [v.r. verra ayre] c1420 Ratis R. 1310.
The aire of bounte is honore c1460 Thewis Wysmen 468.
Wysdome aire is to foly c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 22.
Evirmair unto this warldis joy, As nerrest air succeidis noy