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fair - 14 dictionary results

fair

1  [fair] adjective, -er, -est, adverb, -er, -est, noun, verb
Use fair in a Sentence
–adjective
1. free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice: a fair decision; a fair judge.
2. legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules: a fair fight.
3. moderately large; ample: a fair income.
4. neither excellent nor poor; moderately or tolerably good: fair health.
5. marked by favoring conditions; likely; promising: in a fair way to succeed.
6. Meteorology.
a. (of the sky) bright; sunny; cloudless to half-cloudy.
b. (of the weather) fine; with no prospect of rain, snow, or hail; not stormy.
7. Nautical. (of a wind or tide) tending to aid the progress of a vessel.
8. unobstructed; not blocked up: The way was fair for our advance.
9. without irregularity or unevenness: a fair surface.
10. free from blemish, imperfection, or anything that impairs the appearance, quality, or character: Her fair reputation was ruined by gossip.
11. easy to read; clear: fair handwriting.
12. of a light hue; not dark: fair skin.
13. pleasing in appearance; attractive: a fair young maiden.
14. seemingly good or sincere but not really so: The suitor beguiled his mistress with fair speeches.
15. courteous; civil: fair words.
16. Medicine/Medical. (of a patient's condition) having stable and normal vital signs and other favorable indicators, as appetite and mobility, but being in some discomfort and having the possibility of a worsening state.
17. Dialect. scarcely; barely: It was just fair daylight when we started working.
–adverb
18. in a fair manner: He doesn't play fair.
19. straight; directly, as in aiming or hitting: He threw the ball fair to the goal.
20. favorably; auspiciously.
21. British, Australian. entirely; completely; quite: It happened so quickly that it fair took my breath away.
–noun
22. Archaic. something that is fair.
23. Archaic.
a. a woman.
b. a beloved woman.
–verb (used with object)
24. to make the connection or junction of (surfaces) smooth and even.
25. Shipbuilding.
a. to draw and adjust (the lines of a hull being designed) to produce regular surfaces of the correct form.
b. to adjust the form of (a frame or templet) in accordance with a design, or cause it to conform to the general form of a hull.
c. to restore (a bent plate or structural member) to its original form.
d. to align (the frames of a vessel under construction) in proper position.
26. to bring (rivet holes in connecting structural members) into perfect alignment.
27. Obsolete. to make fair.
—Verb phrase
28. fair off or up, South Midland and Southern U.S. (of the weather) to clear: It's supposed to fair off toward evening.
—Idioms
29. bid fair, to seem likely: This entry bids fair to win first prize.
30. fair and square,
a. honestly; justly; straightforwardly: He won the race fair and square.
b. honest; just; straightforward: He was admired for being fair and square in all his dealings.
31. fair to middling, Informal. only tolerably good; so-so.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE fæger; c. OS, OHG fagar, ON fagr, Goth fagrs

Related forms:
fairness, noun

Synonyms:
1. Fair, impartial, disinterested, unprejudiced refer to lack of bias in opinions, judgments, etc. Fair implies the treating of all sides alike, justly and equitably: a fair compromise. Impartial, like fair, implies showing no more favor to one side than another, but suggests particularly a judicial consideration of a case: an impartial judge. Disinterested implies a fairness arising particularly from lack of desire to obtain a selfish advantage: The motives of her guardian were entirely disinterested. Unprejudiced means not influenced or swayed by bias, or by prejudice caused by irrelevant considerations: an unprejudiced decision. 4. passable, tolerable, average, middling. 8. open, clear, unencumbered. 10. clean, spotless, pure, untarnished, unsullied, unstained. 11. legible, distinct. 12. blond, pale. 13. pretty, comely, lovely. 15. polite, gracious.

fair

2  [fair]
–noun
1. an exhibition, usually competitive, of farm products, livestock, etc., often combined in the U.S. with entertainment and held annually by a county or state.
2. a periodic gathering of buyers and sellers in an appointed place.
3. an exposition in which different exhibitors participate, sometimes with the purpose of buying or selling: a science fair.
4. an exhibition and sale of articles to raise money, often for some charitable purpose.
Origin:
1300–50; ME feire < AF, OF < LL fēria religious festival, holiday (ML: market), in L only pl.; akin to feast
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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fair 1   (fâr)   
adj.   fair·er, fair·est
  1. Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.
    1. Light in color, especially blond: fair hair.
    2. Of light complexion: fair skin.
    3. Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial: a fair mediator.
    4. Just to all parties; equitable: a compromise that is fair to both factions.
  3. Free of clouds or storms; clear and sunny: fair skies.
  4. Free of blemishes or stains; clean and pure: one's fair name.
  5. Promising; likely: We're in a fair way to succeed.
    1. Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial: a fair mediator.
    2. Just to all parties; equitable: a compromise that is fair to both factions.
  7. Being in accordance with relative merit or significance: She wanted to receive her fair share of the proceeds.
  8. Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics: a fair tactic.
  9. Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory: gave only a fair performance of the play; in fair health.
  10. Superficially true or appealing; specious: Don't trust his fair promises.
  11. Lawful to hunt or attack: fair game.
  12. Archaic Free of all obstacles.
adv.  
  1. In a proper or legal manner: playing fair.
  2. Directly; straight: a blow caught fair in the stomach.
tr.v.   faired, fair·ing, fairs
To join (pieces) so as to be smooth, even, or regular: faired the aircraft's wing into the fuselage.
n.  
  1. Archaic A beautiful or beloved woman.
  2. Obsolete Loveliness; beauty.
Phrasal Verb(s):
fair off/up Chiefly Southern U.S. To become clear. Used of weather.

Idiom(s):
fair and squareJust and honest.

Idiom(s):
for fairTo the greatest or fullest extent possible: Our team was beaten for fair in that tournament.

Idiom(s):
no fairSomething contrary to the rules: That was no fair.

[Middle English, from Old English fæger, lovely, pleasant.]
fair'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean free from favoritism, self-interest, or preference in judgment. Fair is the most general: a fair referee; a fair deal.
Just stresses conformity with what is legally or ethically right or proper: "a just and lasting peace" (Abraham Lincoln).
Equitable implies justice dictated by reason, conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair: an equitable distribution of gifts among the children.
Impartial emphasizes lack of favoritism: "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge" (Edmund Burke).
Unprejudiced means without preconceived opinions or judgments: an unprejudiced evaluation of the proposal.
Unbiased implies absence of a preference or partiality: gave an unbiased account of her family problems.
Objective implies detachment that permits impersonal observation and judgment: an objective jury.
Dispassionate means free from or unaffected by strong emotions: a dispassionate reporter. See Also Synonyms at average, beautiful.

American folk speech puts Standard English to shame in its wealth of words for describing weather conditions. When the weather goes from fair to cloudy, New Englanders say that it's "breedin' up a storm" (Maine informant in the Linguistic Atlas of New England). If the weather is clear, however, a New Englander might call it open. Southern fair off and fair up, meaning "to become clear," were originally Northeastern terms and were brought to the South as settlement expanded southward and westward. They are now "regionalized to the South," according to Craig M. Carver, author of American Regional Dialects. These phrases may have prompted the coining of milding and milding down, noted respectively in Texas and Virginia by the Dictionary of American Regional English.
fair 2   (fâr)   
n.  
  1. A gathering held at a specified time and place for the buying and selling of goods; a market.
  2. An exhibition, as of farm products or manufactured goods, usually accompanied by various competitions and entertainments: a state fair.
  3. An exhibition intended to inform people about a product or business opportunity: a computer fair; a job fair.
  4. An event, usually for the benefit of a charity or public institution, including entertainment and the sale of goods; a bazaar: a church fair.

[Middle English faire, from Old French feire, from Late Latin fēria, sing. of Latin fēriae, holidays; see dhēs- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Fair

Fair\, a. [Compar. Fairer; superl. Fairest.] [OE. fair, fayer, fager, AS. f[ae]ger; akin to OS. & OHG. fagar, Icel. fagr, Sw. fager, Dan. faver, Goth. fagrs fit, also to E. fay, G. f["u]gen, to fit. fegen to sweep, cleanse, and prob. also to E. fang, peace, pact, Cf. Fang, Fain, Fay to fit.]

1. Free from spots, specks, dirt, or imperfection; unblemished; clean; pure.

A fair white linen cloth. --Book of Common Prayer.

2. Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful.

Who can not see many a fair French city, for one fair French made. --Shak.

3. Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin.

The northern people large and fair-complexioned. --Sir M. Hale.

4. Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; favorable; -- said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day.

You wish fair winds may waft him over. --Prior.

5. Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unincumbered; open; direct; -- said of a road, passage, etc.; as, a fair mark; in fair sight; a fair view.

The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged. --Sir W. Raleigh.

6. (Shipbuilding) Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; fowing; -- said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

7. Characterized by frankness, honesty, impartiality, or candor; open; upright; free from suspicion or bias; equitable; just; -- said of persons, character, or conduct; as, a fair man; fair dealing; a fair statement. "I would call it fair play." --Shak.

8. Pleasing; favorable; inspiring hope and confidence; -- said of words, promises, etc.

When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty. --L' Estrange.

9. Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting.

10. Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen.

The news is very fair and good, my lord. --Shak.

Fair ball. (Baseball) (a) A ball passing over the home base at the height called for by the batsman, and delivered by the pitcher while wholly within the lines of his position and facing the batsman. (b) A batted ball that falls inside the foul lines; -- called also a fair hit.

Fair maid. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The European pilchard (Clupea pilchardus) when dried. (b) The southern scup (Stenotomus Gardeni). [Virginia]

Fair one, a handsome woman; a beauty,

Fair play, equitable or impartial treatment; a fair or equal chance; justice.

From fair to middling, passable; tolerable. [Colloq.]

The fair sex, the female sex.

Syn: Candid; open; frank; ingenuous; clear; honest; equitable; impartial; reasonable. See Candid.

Fair

Fair\, adv. Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably.

Fair and square, justly; honestly; equitably; impartially. [Colloq.]

To bid fair. See under Bid.

To speak fair, to address with courtesy and frankness. [Archaic]

Fair

Fair\, n. 1. Fairness, beauty. [Obs.] --Shak.

2. A fair woman; a sweetheart.

I have found out a gift for my fair. --Shenstone.

3. Good fortune; good luck.

Now fair befall thee ! --Shak.

The fair, anything beautiful; women, collectively. "For slander's mark was ever yet the fair." --Shak.

Fair

Fair\, v. t. 1. To make fair or beautiful. [Obs.]

Fairing the foul. --Shak.

2. (Shipbuilding) To make smooth and flowing, as a vessel's lines.

Fair

Fair\, n. [OE. feire, OF. feire, F. foire, fr. L. fariae, pl., days of rest, holidays, festivals, akin to festus festal. See Feast.]

1. A gathering of buyers and sellers, assembled at a particular place with their merchandise at a stated or regular season, or by special appointment, for trade.

2. A festival, and sale of fancy articles. erc., usually for some charitable object; as, a Grand Army fair.

3. A competitive exhibition of wares, farm products, etc., not primarily for purposes of sale; as, the Mechanics' fair; an agricultural fair.

After the fair, Too late. [Colloq.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : fair
Spanish: rubio, claro, blanco,
German: hell,
Japanese: 金髪の
More Translations »

fair  (adj.)
O.E. fæger "beautiful, pleasant," from P.Gmc. *fagraz (cf. O.N. fagr, O.H.G. fagar "beautiful," Goth. fagrs "fit"), from PIE *fag-. The meaning in ref. to weather (c.1205) preserves the original sense (opposed to foul). Sense of "light complexioned" (1551) reflects tastes in beauty; sense of "free from bias" (c.1340) evolved from another early meaning, "morally pure, unblemished" (c.1175). The sporting senses (fair ball, fair catch etc.) began in 1856. Fair play is from 1595; fair and square is from 1604. Fair-haired in the fig. sense of "darling, favorite" is from 1909. Fairly in the sense of "somewhat" is from 1805; it earlier meant "totally." Fairway (1584) originally meant "navigational channel of a river;" golfing sense is from 1910. First record of fair-weather friends is from 1736.

fair  (n.)
c.1330, from Anglo-Fr. feyre (1292), from O.Fr. feire, from V.L. *feria "holiday, market fair," from L. feriæ "religious festival, holiday" (see feast).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: fair
Function: adjective
1 : characterized by honesty and justice : free from self-interest, deception, injustice, or favoritism fair and impartial tribunal>
2 : reasonable as a basis for exchange fair wage> fair valuation>
3 : consistent with merit or importance <fair and just compensation for the injuries>
4 : conforming with established laws or standards : being in accordance with a person's rights under the law <fair judicial process> —fair·ly adverb —fair·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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FAIR language
An early system on the IBM 705.
[Listed in CACM 2(5):1959-05-16].
(1996-05-13)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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fair

In addition to the idioms beginning with fair, also see all's fair in love and war; play fair; turnabout is fair play.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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