af‧fair S2 W1 / əfeə $ əfer / 名词 [可数名词]

1 public/political activities affairs [复数形式]

a) public or political events and activities :

Are you interested in world affairs?

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Women had little role in public affairs.

b) things connected with your personal life, your financial situation etc :

I am not prepared to discuss my financial affairs with the press. → state of affairs at state 1 ( 8 )

2 event

a) an event or set of related events, especially one that is impressive or shocking :

the Watergate affair

The whole affair was a disaster.

b) used when describing an event :

The party was a very grand affair.

3 relationship a secret sexual relationship between two people, when at least one of them is married to someone else 同义词 love affair

affair with

He had an affair with his boss that lasted six years.

4 object informal old-fashioned used when describing an object, machine etc :

The computer was one of those little portable affairs.

5 be sb’s affair if something is your affair, it only concerns you and you do not want anyone else to get involved in it :

What I do in my free time is my affair.

COLLOCATIONS

形容词

world/international affairs China is now a major player in world affairs.

current affairs (= important events that are happening now ) a 24-hour news and current affairs channel

sb’s private affairs (= things that are personal and not for other people to know about ) He never discussed his private affairs in public.

sb’s financial affairs They offer advice on managing your financial affairs.

sb’s business affairs After dad retired, I managed his estate and business affairs.

economic affairs He was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for economic affairs.

political affairs The military promised to stay out of political affairs.

military affairs the president’s advisor on military affairs

religious affairs She wanted to be more involved in the church and religious affairs.

foreign/external affairs (= events in other countries ) the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

domestic/internal affairs ( also home affairs British English ) (= events inside a country ) the Minister of Home Affairs | He said that the US should not try to interfere in his country’s domestic affairs.

public affairs (= events that affect the people of a country ) He was active in public affairs in his region.

短语

affairs of state (= the business of the government ) The church played no role in the affairs of state.

put your affairs in order (= organize them before you go somewhere or die ) I have cancer so I know I’ve got to put my affairs in order.