Affair

Related Topics:
Affair_to_Remember,_An :: Affair_of_the_Necklace,_The

An affair is usually a euphemism for a situation where two people are involved in an illicit activity. It is usually a romantic relationship commonly of limited duration. In lieu of this context, it can also be used to describe a meeting or some sort of business that a person must take care of. For example, one might say, "I have other affairs to attend to at the moment." It may also refer to a business run by a family, as in family affair. Notable family affair is the filmmaking business within Japan's Tsuburaya family, and the superhero business within the fictional Incredible Family.

Sex and romance

One of its darker connotations is a euphemism for a situation where two people are involved in an illicit sexual, romantic and/or passionate attachment, usually for a limited duration. The euphemism is also applied to marital infidelity where one partner has an outside relationship: a liaison. It is sometimes accompanied by scandal.

The term usually implies sexual impropriety, but it is not necessarily the case. (For example, in the classic film An Affair to Remember, the love affair in question is generally considered acceptable from a moral standpoint.)

Political and business

In the most general sense, it can be professional, personal, or public business. An affair, in the political sense, typically refer to any kind of involvement in illicit business by any kind of public representatives, such as in the Watergate affair. Like the earlier definition this is not always the case — for example the British Government has a Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which is a perfectly legitimate (and usually honorable) position.

Office romance

An office romance, work romance, or affair is a romance that occurs between two people who work together in the same office, work location, or business, until recently generally believed to be unhelpful to the general welfare and effectiveness of businesses, and were thus discouraged and even prohibited by company policy.

However, office romances have always been difficult to prohibit. They occur when two people start to have mutual caring feelings for each other and their feelings develop into a deeper relationship. Sometimes such romances can lead to lasting relationships, but more frequently they end and cause varying degrees of distress in the effectiveness of the offices or companies where they work.

Major Famous affairs

Minor Famous affairs

References

David Miller, The Joys of Adultery — How to cheat and get away with it.
William F. Mitchell, Jr., Adultery: Facing Its Reality. ISBN 1-58641386
Reena Sommer, Anatomy of an Affair.
H. Cameron Barnes, Affair! How to Manage Every Aspect of Your Extramarital Relationship with Passion, Discretion and Dignity. ISBN 1581127774
The manual of how to cheat on your wife. ISBN 097219950
Jay D. Louise, How to Have an Affair and Never Get Caught! ISBN 0964478900
Julia Copus, In Defence of Adultery. ISBN 1852246073
Elissa Gough, The Other Woman's Guide to and from Infidelity; The journal for Women in Affairs with Married Men. ISBN 1891863037
Don-David, Infidelity: A Survival Guide. ISBN 1572240873
Laurel Walum Richardson, The New Other Woman: Contemporary Single Women in Affairs With Married Men. ISBN 0029268915