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Webster 1913 Edition

Affair

Af-fair′

(ăf-fâr′)
,
Noun.
[OE.
afere
,
affere
, OF.
afaire
, F.
affaire
, fr.
a faire
to do; L..
ad
+
facere
to do. See
Fact
, and cf.
Ado
.]
1.
That which is done or is to be done; matter; concern;
as, a difficult
affair
to manage; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public; – often in the plural. “At the head of
affairs
.”
Junius.
“A talent for affairs.”
Prescott.
2.
Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely;
as, an
affair
of honor, i. e., a duel; an
affair
of love, i. e., an intrigue
.
3.
(Mil.)
An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.
4.
Action; endeavor.
[Obs.]
And with his best
affair

Obeyed the pleasure of the Sun.
Chapman.
5.
A material object (vaguely designated).
A certain
affair
of fine red cloth much worn and faded.
Hawthorne.

Webster 1828 Edition

Affair

AFFA'IR

,
Noun.
[L. facere. The primary sense of facio is to urge, drive, impel.]
1.
Business of any kind; that which is done, or is to be done; a word of very indefinite and undefinable signification. In the plural, it denotes transactions in general; as human affairs; political or ecclesiastical affairs: also the business or concerns of an individual; as, his affairs are embarrassed.
2.
Matters; state; condition of business or concerns.
I have sent that ye may know our affairs. Eph. 6.
3.
In the singular, it is used for a private dispute, or duel; as, an affair of honor; and sometimes a partial engagement of troops.
In the phrase, at the head of affairs, the word means, the public concerns of executing the laws and administering the government.

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