give oneself airs—act conceited or superior:
- Sally is always giving herself airs. You’d think she had royal blood.
give someone the air—(coll.) reject or dismiss a person:
- I couldn’t change her views … nor could she convert me to hers, even when she threatened to give me the air.
Cf.: get the air—be rejected (as a friend or lover):
- Shirley was afraid she might get the air from her boyfriend if she went out with other boys.
See also: take air / take the air.