en l'airadv.

1706 P. Siris tr. R.-A. Feuillet Art of Dancing vi. 9 A Bending and Springing Step, with a Foot en l'Air.

1706 P. Siris tr. R.-A. Feuillet Art of Dancing Pl. xv. 39 Forwards en l'Air, and afterwards falling on the same Leg.

1808 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1835) IV. 130 Its retreat to the sea should be considered in some degree en l'air.

1853 C. Brontë Villette II. xxvii. 280 What had a person devoted to a serious calling..to do with Counts and Countesses, hotels and chateaux? To him, I seemed altogether ‘en l'air’.

1891 ‘L. Malet’ Wages of Sin v. i I wait on circumstances. My plans are rather distractingly en l'air every way just at present.

1918 E. S. Farrow Dict. Mil. Terms 204 En l'air... Said of troops when too far from the main body, either to render assistance or to receive support.

1964 W. B. Pemberton Battles of Boer War vi. 164 The extreme right of the Boers was practically en l'air and deserted.