What does 'give someone air" mean?
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Anyone shouts, "give him/her air, everybody" when someone faints. In this case, what does it mean exactly?
meaning-in-context
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
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Anyone shouts, "give him/her air, everybody" when someone faints. In this case, what does it mean exactly?
meaning-in-context
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
Is this a direct quote from a source? Why do you think this is a common thing to say when someone faints?
– James K
Nov 20 at 22:34
3
@JamesK - It's indeed a rather common expression. One famous instance happened 50 years ago.
– J.R.♦
Nov 20 at 22:53
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Anyone shouts, "give him/her air, everybody" when someone faints. In this case, what does it mean exactly?
meaning-in-context
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
Anyone shouts, "give him/her air, everybody" when someone faints. In this case, what does it mean exactly?
meaning-in-context
meaning-in-context
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
edited Nov 21 at 18:04
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
asked Nov 20 at 22:15
zephyr kim
274
274
Is this a direct quote from a source? Why do you think this is a common thing to say when someone faints?
– James K
Nov 20 at 22:34
3
@JamesK - It's indeed a rather common expression. One famous instance happened 50 years ago.
– J.R.♦
Nov 20 at 22:53
add a comment |
Is this a direct quote from a source? Why do you think this is a common thing to say when someone faints?
– James K
Nov 20 at 22:34
3
@JamesK - It's indeed a rather common expression. One famous instance happened 50 years ago.
– J.R.♦
Nov 20 at 22:53
Is this a direct quote from a source? Why do you think this is a common thing to say when someone faints?
– James K
Nov 20 at 22:34
Is this a direct quote from a source? Why do you think this is a common thing to say when someone faints?
– James K
Nov 20 at 22:34
3
3
@JamesK - It's indeed a rather common expression. One famous instance happened 50 years ago.
– J.R.♦
Nov 20 at 22:53
@JamesK - It's indeed a rather common expression. One famous instance happened 50 years ago.
– J.R.♦
Nov 20 at 22:53
add a comment |
2 Answers
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Shouting "give him/her air!" when someone faints or collapses, or maybe more commonly, "give him/her some air!" is a clichéd utterance. It means "stop crowding closely around, step back". There is no implication or suggestion that the person of concern is in danger of asphyxiation, at least not because of the bystanders' proximity.
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
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It's simply a way to tell the onlookers to give the person some extra room and space, because too many people have crowded around the person who just fainted.
Sometimes the extra space around a person is called breathing room. According to TFD:
breathing room (also breathing space)
noun
sufficient space to fit or accomplish something: no breathing room on the crowded airplane
sufficient room for easy breathing or movement: moved to the country to find breathing room
It's established, figurative, idiomatic language. When someone has fainted, someone may borrow this expression to ask people to back away, as in, "Give him some breathing room!"
Sometimes the wording will be altered and someone might say, "Give him room to breathe!" or even, "Give him some air, everyone. Please move back."
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Shouting "give him/her air!" when someone faints or collapses, or maybe more commonly, "give him/her some air!" is a clichéd utterance. It means "stop crowding closely around, step back". There is no implication or suggestion that the person of concern is in danger of asphyxiation, at least not because of the bystanders' proximity.
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Shouting "give him/her air!" when someone faints or collapses, or maybe more commonly, "give him/her some air!" is a clichéd utterance. It means "stop crowding closely around, step back". There is no implication or suggestion that the person of concern is in danger of asphyxiation, at least not because of the bystanders' proximity.
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Shouting "give him/her air!" when someone faints or collapses, or maybe more commonly, "give him/her some air!" is a clichéd utterance. It means "stop crowding closely around, step back". There is no implication or suggestion that the person of concern is in danger of asphyxiation, at least not because of the bystanders' proximity.
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
Shouting "give him/her air!" when someone faints or collapses, or maybe more commonly, "give him/her some air!" is a clichéd utterance. It means "stop crowding closely around, step back". There is no implication or suggestion that the person of concern is in danger of asphyxiation, at least not because of the bystanders' proximity.
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
answered Nov 20 at 22:43
Michael Harvey
10.6k1825
10.6k1825
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
It's simply a way to tell the onlookers to give the person some extra room and space, because too many people have crowded around the person who just fainted.
Sometimes the extra space around a person is called breathing room. According to TFD:
breathing room (also breathing space)
noun
sufficient space to fit or accomplish something: no breathing room on the crowded airplane
sufficient room for easy breathing or movement: moved to the country to find breathing room
It's established, figurative, idiomatic language. When someone has fainted, someone may borrow this expression to ask people to back away, as in, "Give him some breathing room!"
Sometimes the wording will be altered and someone might say, "Give him room to breathe!" or even, "Give him some air, everyone. Please move back."
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
It's simply a way to tell the onlookers to give the person some extra room and space, because too many people have crowded around the person who just fainted.
Sometimes the extra space around a person is called breathing room. According to TFD:
breathing room (also breathing space)
noun
sufficient space to fit or accomplish something: no breathing room on the crowded airplane
sufficient room for easy breathing or movement: moved to the country to find breathing room
It's established, figurative, idiomatic language. When someone has fainted, someone may borrow this expression to ask people to back away, as in, "Give him some breathing room!"
Sometimes the wording will be altered and someone might say, "Give him room to breathe!" or even, "Give him some air, everyone. Please move back."
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
It's simply a way to tell the onlookers to give the person some extra room and space, because too many people have crowded around the person who just fainted.
Sometimes the extra space around a person is called breathing room. According to TFD:
breathing room (also breathing space)
noun
sufficient space to fit or accomplish something: no breathing room on the crowded airplane
sufficient room for easy breathing or movement: moved to the country to find breathing room
It's established, figurative, idiomatic language. When someone has fainted, someone may borrow this expression to ask people to back away, as in, "Give him some breathing room!"
Sometimes the wording will be altered and someone might say, "Give him room to breathe!" or even, "Give him some air, everyone. Please move back."
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
It's simply a way to tell the onlookers to give the person some extra room and space, because too many people have crowded around the person who just fainted.
Sometimes the extra space around a person is called breathing room. According to TFD:
breathing room (also breathing space)
noun
sufficient space to fit or accomplish something: no breathing room on the crowded airplane
sufficient room for easy breathing or movement: moved to the country to find breathing room
It's established, figurative, idiomatic language. When someone has fainted, someone may borrow this expression to ask people to back away, as in, "Give him some breathing room!"
Sometimes the wording will be altered and someone might say, "Give him room to breathe!" or even, "Give him some air, everyone. Please move back."
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
answered Nov 20 at 22:38
J.R.♦
97.1k8126242
97.1k8126242
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Is this a direct quote from a source? Why do you think this is a common thing to say when someone faints?
– James K
Nov 20 at 22:34
3
@JamesK - It's indeed a rather common expression. One famous instance happened 50 years ago.
– J.R.♦
Nov 20 at 22:53