affair

 
Pronunciation: /əˈfɛː/

noun

  • 1an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been referred to: the board admitted responsibility for the affair I wanted the funeral to be a family affair
  • a matter that is a particular person’s concern or responsibility: what you do in your spare time is your affair
  • (affairs) matters of public interest and importance: commissions were created to advise on foreign affairs
  • (affairs) business and financial dealings: his time was spent in winding up his affairs
  • 2a love affair: his wife is having an affair
  • 3 [with adjective] informal an object of a particular type: her dress was a black low-cut affair

Phrases

put one's affairs in order

ensure that one’s financial and legal arrangements are properly organized, especially in preparation for one’s death: before he died he put his affairs in order and updated his will

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French afaire, from à faire 'to do'; compare with ado