Collocations for affair - noun
1. event/situation
ADJ.
whole
She saw the whole affair as a great joke.
She saw the whole affair as a great joke.
glittering, grand
I knew that the wedding would be a grand affair.
I knew that the wedding would be a grand affair.
sordid, sorry, squalid
VERB + AFFAIR
deal with, handle
Many people have criticized the way the government handled the affair.
Many people have criticized the way the government handled the affair.
be involved in | investigate
PHRASES
sb''s involvement in the affair
He has tried to play down his involvement in the affair.
He has tried to play down his involvement in the affair.
a state of affairs
How did this state of affairs come about?
How did this state of affairs come about?
wash your hands of the affair
(= to refuse to be responsible for sth or involved in sth)
(= to refuse to be responsible for sth or involved in sth)
2. sexual relationship
ADJ.
brief, casual | clandestine, secret | adulterous, extramarital | passionate, torrid | unhappy | love
a torrid love affair
a torrid love affair
VERB + AFFAIR
carry on, conduct, have
He''s having an affair with a colleague.
He''s having an affair with a colleague.
AFFAIR + VERB
go on
How long has the affair been going on?
How long has the affair been going on?
PREP.
~ between
It''s the story of a secret affair between a married teacher and her teenage student.
It''s the story of a secret affair between a married teacher and her teenage student.
~ with
an affair with a married man
an affair with a married man
3. sth that concerns one person/small group
ADJ.
family, personal, sb''s own
It''s a family affair.
It''s a family affair.
PHRASES
sb''s affair
What I do at the weekend is my affair.
What I do at the weekend is my affair.
no affair of sb''s
That''s no affair of yours.
That''s no affair of yours.
4. affairs: important matters
ADJ.
current
a current affairs programme on television
a current affairs programme on television
private, public | domestic, home, internal, national | community, local | European, foreign, external, international, world
the minister for foreign affairs
the minister for foreign affairs
business, financial, legal | commercial, consumer, cultural, economic, environmental, military, political, religious, social
VERB + AFFAIR
administer, arrange, attend to, conduct, manage, run
I am trying to arrange my father''s financial affairs.
I am trying to arrange my father''s financial affairs.
settle, wind up | interfere in, meddle in
PHRASES
affairs of state
The Cabinet will be discussing certain affairs of state.
The Cabinet will be discussing certain affairs of state.
put/set your affairs in order
I want to put my affairs in order before I die.
I want to put my affairs in order before I die.
a state of affairs
the current state of affairs in schools
the current state of affairs in schools