From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishaffairaf‧fair /əˈfeə $ əˈfer/ ●●● S2 W1 noun [countable] 1 → affairs2 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.► see thesaurus at event3 relationshipRELATIONSHIP a secret sexual relationship between two people, when at least one of them is married to someone else SYN love affairaffair with He had an affair with his boss that lasted six years.4 object informal old-fashionedTHING used when describing an object, machine etc The computer was one of those little portable affairs.5 → be somebody’s affairCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesworld/international affairsChina is now a major player in world affairs.current affairs (=important events that are happening now)a 24-hour news and current affairs channel somebody’s private affairs (=things that are personal and not for other people to know about)He never discussed his private affairs in public.somebody’s financial affairsThey offer advice on managing your financial affairs.somebody’s business affairsAfter dad retired, I managed his estate and business affairs.economic affairsHe was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for economic affairs.political affairsThe military promised to stay out of political affairs.military affairsthe president’s advisor on military affairsreligious affairsShe wanted to be more involved in the church and religious affairs.foreign/external affairs (=events in other countries)the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairsdomestic/internal affairs (also home affairs British English) (=events inside a country)the Minister of Home AffairsHe 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.phrasesaffairs 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.
Examples from the Corpus
affair• I had no idea that Mike had an affair with Carolyn!• My wife thinks I'm having an affair with someone at work.• He accused his wife of having an affair.• The awards celebration is an annual affair in Hollywood.• The court case was an awful affair that dragged on for months.• Angel's branch of the Solis de Gonzales, however, were no good at looking after their business affairs.• The interpretation of the complex world of human affairs in terms of an experimental analysis is no doubt often oversimplified.• According to this official document, the blame for the Executive Life affair lay with former managers of Altus and the group.• Burton had been involved in a love affair with a woman who ended up taking most of his money.• For the Prince it was the beginning of a love affair.• They finally confessed their secret love affair.• She too endured harsh criticism and partisan pressure for becoming openly involved in public affairs.• Other co-operation agreements were signed, covering economics, trade, transport, technical affairs, culture and drug policing.• Nick Leeson had to serve a prison term in Singapore for his part in the affair.• According to one account, the Cornishmen felt that the affairs of the North were too remote to interest them.• The affair had been going on for years before her husband found out.• Their affair lasted for six years.• The whole world was waiting for the outcome of the Watergate affair.had an affair• Several times, he looked close his comeuppance after allegations that he had had an affair with a former pupil.• Clinton admitted that Flowers had been an acquaintance, but strongly denied that he had had an affair with her.• His wife, Regina, accused him of having had an affair with former press aide Valerie Taliman and ignoring his family.• I had no idea that Horgan had an affair with Carolyn.• Cedric Mellings had an affair or two, and then, so did Dorothy Mellings.• He saw himself as a man who fell in love, not one who had affairs.Origin affair (1100-1200) Old French afaire, from à faire “to do” 