take air/take the air

【问】 take air与take the air意义是否相同?

【答】 take air意为“传播”、“泄漏”：

Since the matter has already taken air，there is no use trying to hush it up.

既然事情已经传开，再试图隐瞒就没有用了。

take the air意为“呼吸新鲜空气”：

He sat smoking a pipe and taking the air.

他坐着，边抽烟斗，边呼吸新鲜空气。