Air Up

"Air up" is a Southern and Appalachian verb phrase meaning to put air into something, usually a tire, ball, or piece of equipment.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Southern

synonyms: inflate

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've only heard people say 'air it up' around here, all my life.

Pronunciation

[AIR up] /ɛr ʌp/

Meaning & Usage

- To inflate with air (verb phrase)

Clara:

The tire looks low.

Elmer:

Yeah, I’ll air it up while we’re here.

variations: aired up, airing up, airin’ up

Origin

From American rural speech, especially common in Southern and Appalachian English in the 20th century. Likely arose as a shortened form of "put air in," turning "air" into a verb. Still widely used in everyday conversation about cars, trucks, tractors, and farm equipment.

Notes

Nonstandard in formal English, but common and natural in dialect speech.
Used in all tenses: air up, aired up, airing up.
Strongly associated with the South and Appalachia, though also heard in other rural regions.

Kin Topics

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Common Questions

What does "air up" mean?

To inflate, usually by putting air in a tire or ball.

Is it only Southern?

It’s especially common in Southern and Appalachian dialect, but sometimes heard in other rural areas.

Do people still say it today?

Yes-especially in the South, where "air up a tire" is the everyday way of saying "inflate a tire."

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 3). Air Up. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/air-up
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Air Up." HillbillySlang.com, 3 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/air-up.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Air Up." HillbillySlang.com. October 3, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/air-up.