1an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been referred to:the board admitted responsibility for the affairI 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
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
