air, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

air v.

1. (Aus.) to boast, to talk emptily.

1890

Dead Bird (Sydney) 29 Mar. 5/2: Our lawyers and statesmen they cut a great dash. / Spouting, and airing, and grabbing the cash.

2. (US) to dismiss, to jilt.

1928		W. Winchell Your Broadway & Mine 3 Nov. [synd. col.] Two lads in the agency which handled the copy [...] have been aired.
1933		‘Paul Cain’ Fast One (1936) 47: Rose figures on airing everybody he ain’t sure of - he’s got a list .
1938		W. Winchell On Broadway 16 Mar. [synd. col.] A major spot is trying to air its manager.
1940		J.H. O’Hara Pal Joey 6: That personality boy at a downtown hotel has aired the femme that got him the job.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 17/2: Air, v. To get rid of. ‘Air that stiff (fool, casual criminal, outsider).’.

3. (US, also air out) to vilify, to criticize.

1932		‘Paul Cain’ ‘Black’ in Omnibus (2006) 216: You’re airing Ben - how do we know you’ll play ball with us?
2012		S. Blass Pirate for Life 91: My mother [...] sent a scathing letter to Dick Young and just aired him out.

4. to leave; also as imper.

1944		C.S. Montanye ‘Publicity for the Corpse’ in Thrilling Detective Dec. 🌐 ‘Air!’ I said to Lorch and Candell [...] ‘Make it rapid!’.
1973		C. Gaines Stay Hungry 219: Come on y’all, less air this place.

5. (UK black) to snub, thus in social media use, to ignore messages.

2017		hubpages.com ‘Roadman Slang 10 Jan. 🌐 Airing someone - to be ignoring someone's messages or snapchats online.
2018-20		T. Thorne (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Aired - ignored, snubbed.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

air off oneself (v.) [SE to put on airs]

(W.I.) to show off one’s own superior status at others’ expense.

1996

Allsopp Dict. Carib. Eng. Usage.

air one’s heels (v.)

to loiter about, to dawdle.

1878		letter in T. Hughes Gone To Texas (1884) 7: They say they let them come on after airing their heels on the platform for twelve hours.
1923		J. Manchon Le Slang.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 9/1: mid-C.19–early 20.

air one’s lungs (v.) [SE air, to expose to the air + air, to give expression to]

1. (US) to complain, to swear, to curse.

1911, 1961		in DARE.
1944		R.F. Adams Western Words (1968) 4: Airin’ the lungs What the cowboy calls ‘cussin’,’ which seems to be a natural part of his language.

2. to argue or talk at length.

1969

in DARE questionaire.

air one’s pants (v.)

to idle, to wander.

1933

C.G. Booth ‘C.G. Booth’ in Penzler Pulp Fiction (2006) 113: And me out airing my pants.

air one’s paunch (v.) (US, mainly Western)

1. to boast, to brag.

1928

in DARE.

2. (also air one’s belly) to vomit.

1944		R.F. Adams Western Words (1968) 4: Airin’ the paunch What the cowboy calls vomiting.
2000		Eble Campus Sl. Spring 1: air one’s belly – vomit, esp. because of alcohol.

air one’s pores (v.)

to be naked.

1933

in C. Barr French for Love in DSUE (1984).

air one’s tonsils (v.)

(US) to talk emptily.

1968

G. Cuomo Among Thieves 215: When Orninski opened his mouth, it was because he had something to say. He wasn’t just airing his tonsils.

air out (v.) (US, orig. black)

1. to go for a walk.

1942

Z.N. Hurston ‘Story in Harlem Sl.’ in Novels and Stories (1995) 1001: So this day he was airing out on the Avenue.

2. (US black) to shoot.

1996

Young Zee ‘Jack Mode’ 🎵 I’mma air his ass out, little punk-ass bitch.

air out one’s mouth on (v.) [SE air, to expose to the air + air, to give expression to]

(W.I.) to speak aggressively or abusively.

1996

Allsopp Dict. Carib. Eng. Usage.