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3. put on airs

put on airs

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put on airs

 and give oneself airs

Fig. to act better than one really is; to pretend to be good or to be superior. Pay no attention to her. She is just putting on airs. Stop giving yourself airs and act like the rest of us.

See also: air, on, put

put on airs

Assume a haughty manner, pretend to be better than one is, as in I'm sick of Claire and the way she puts on airs. Airs here means "a manner of superiority." [c. 1700]

See also: air, on, put