love affair

英 [ˈlʌv əfeə(r)]

美 [ˈlʌv əfer]

n. 风流韵事; (非夫妻间的)性关系; (对某事)极大的热情，强烈的兴趣

Collins.1

牛津词典

noun

风流韵事；（非夫妻间的）性关系
a romantic and/or sexual relationship between two people who are in love and not married to each other
（对某事）极大的热情，强烈的兴趣
great enthusiasm for sth
1. the English love affair with gardening
  英格兰人对园艺的热爱

N-COUNT 风流韵事；（非夫妻或同居情侣间的）恋爱（或性）关系
Alove affairis a romantic and usually sexual relationship between two people who love each other but who are not married or living together.
1. ...a stressful love affair with a married man.
  与一个已婚男人的痛苦婚外情
N-SING 极大的喜爱；强烈的的兴趣
If you refer to someone'slove affair withsomething, you mean that they like it a lot and are very enthusiastic about it.
1. ...the American love affair with firearms...
  美国人对枪支的癖好
2. Tom's love affair with France and most things French knew no bounds.
  汤姆对法国和大多数法国东西都无比热爱。

noun

It is like my tribute to China after my forty year love affair with Chinese painting.
喜爱中国绘画四十年了，这也算是我表达的一点心意吧！
Thus began my first love affair.
就这样，开始了我的初恋。
The love affair between Lewinsky and President Clinton is the core of the scandal.
莱温斯基和克林顿总统的恋情是这项丑闻的核心。
With the end of my love affair, I lost all the self-confidence I once had
恋爱告吹后，我一时间自信全无。
She was at rock bottom. Her long-term love affair was breaking up and so was she.
她整个人跌至了谷底。她漫长的爱情要告结束了，她也要崩溃了。
She behaved very tactlessly in reminding him of their love affair.
她提醒他别忘了他俩间的恋爱关系，说得很不策略。
His wife left him when she found out about his love affair.
当他的老婆发现他有外遇时便离开了他。
Her 10-year love affair is about to culminate in a wedding.
她长达十年的爱情长跑终于要在婚礼中走向高潮了。
She began a torrid love affair with a theatrical designer.
她和一位舞台设计师开始了一场狂热的恋情。
She had a lesbian love affair with her secretary.
她和她的秘书搞过同性恋。