fair

I. fair¹ S1 W2 /feə $ fer/ adjective
[Word Family: adverb: fairly ≠ unfairly, fair; noun: fairness ≠ unfairness; adjective: fair ≠ unfair]
[Language: Old English; Origin: fæger 'beautiful']
1. REASONABLE AND ACCEPTABLE a fair situation, system, way of treating people, or judgment seems reasonable, acceptable, and right OPP unfair:
All we are asking for is a fair wage.
£150 is a fair price.
fair trial/hearing
the right to a fair trial
What do you think is the fairest solution?
The report is a fair summary of the issues facing us.
it is fair to do something
It seems fair to give them a second chance.
it’s only fair (that) (=used to say that it is right to do something)
It’s only fair that we tell him what’s happening.
it’s fair to say (that) (=used when you think what you are saying is correct or reasonable)
It’s fair to say that by then he had lost the support of his staff.
it’s not fair on somebody
I can’t carry on working such long hours. It’s not fair on my family.
2. TREATING EVERYONE EQUALLY treating everyone in a way that is right or equal OPP unfair:
Why does Eric get to go and I don’t? It’s not fair!
Life isn’t always fair.
fair to
The old law wasn’t fair to women.
it’s only fair (that)
You pay him $10 an hour – it’s only fair that I should get the same.
My boss expects a lot – but he’s very fair.
3. QUITE LARGE a fair size/amount/number/bit/distance etc especially British English quite a large size, number etc:
I’ve still got a fair amount of work left to do.
We had travelled a fair way (=quite a long distance) by lunch time.
there’s a fair chance (that)/of something (=it is quite likely that something will happen)
There’s a fair chance we’ll be coming over to England this summer.
4. HAIR/SKIN someone who is fair, or who has fair hair or skin, has hair or skin that is very light in colour OPP dark
5. ACCORDING TO THE RULES a fair fight, game, or election is one that is played or done according to the rules OPP unfair
6. LEVEL OF ABILITY neither particularly good nor particularly bad SYN average:
Her written work is excellent but her practical work is only fair.
7. WEATHER weather that is fair is pleasant and not windy, rainy etc SYN fine:
It should be generally fair and warm for the next few days.
8. have had more than your fair share of something to have had more of something, especially something unpleasant, than seems reasonable:
Poor old Alan! He’s had more than his fair share of bad luck recently.
9. give somebody a fair crack of the whip British English informal to give someone the opportunity to do something, especially so that they can show that they are able to do it
10. give somebody/get a fair shake American English informal to treat someone, or to be treated, in a way that gives everyone the same chances as everyone else:
Women don’t always get a fair shake in business.
11. by fair means or foul using any method to get what you want, including dishonest or illegal methods
12. all’s fair in love and war used to say that in some situations any method of getting what you want is acceptable
13. PLEASANT/ATTRACTIVE old use or literary pleasant and attractive:
a fair maiden
• • •
SPOKEN PHRASES
14. fair enough especially British English used to say that you agree with someone’s suggestion or that something seems reasonable SYN OK:
‘I think we should split the bill.’ ‘Fair enough.’
15. to be fair used when adding something after someone has been criticized, which helps to explain or excuse what they did SYN in fairness:
She should have phoned to tell us what her plans were although, to be fair, she’s been very busy.
16. be fair! especially British English used to tell someone not to be unreasonable or criticize someone too much:
Now Pat, be fair, the poor girl’s trying her hardest!
17. fair’s fair used when you think it is fair that someone should do something, especially because of something that has happened earlier:
Come on, fair’s fair – I paid last time so it’s your turn.
18. fair comment British English used to say that a remark or criticism seems reasonable
19. you can’t say fairer than that British English used to say that an offer you are making to someone is the best and fairest offer they can possibly get:
I’ll give you £25 for it – you can’t say fairer than that, can you?
20. it’s a fair cop British English used humorously to admit that you should not be doing something that someone has caught you doing
21. with your own fair hands British English if you do something with your own fair hands, you do it yourself without any help – used humorously ⇒ have a fair idea of something at idea
• • •

THESAURUS

▪ fair treating people equally or in the way that is right: It’s not fair that she gets paid more than me. | Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
▪ just formal morally right and fair: a just punishment | a just cause | a just society | Do you think it was a just war?
▪ reasonable fair and sensible according to most people’s standards: a reasonable request | Lateness, without a reasonable excuse, will not be tolerated.
▪ balanced giving fair and equal treatment to all sides of an argument or subject: Balanced reporting of the news is essential.
▪ even-handed giving fair and equal treatment to everyone, especially when it would be easy to favour one particular group: The drama takes an even-handed look at the consequences of violent crime, both on attackers and their victims. | The film is even-handed and does not try to make you support either side.
▪ equitable /ˈekwətəbəl, ˈekwɪtəbəl/ formal giving equal treatment to everyone involved: We need an equitable solution to this problem. | a more equitable distribution of wealth

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fair

fair [fair fairs fairer fairest] adjective, adverb, noun [feə(r)] [fer]

adjective (fair·er, fair·est)

ACCEPTABLE/APPROPRIATE
1. acceptable and appropriate in a particular situation
• a fair deal/wage/price/question
• The punishment was very fair.
• In the end, a draw was a fair result.
• I give you fair warning, I'm not always this generous.
• ~ to sb (to do sth) Was it really fair to him to ask him to do all the work?
• ~ on sb (to do sth) It's not fair on the students to keep changing the timetable.
• ~ to do sth It's only fair to add that they were not told about the problem until the last minute.
• I think it is fair to say that they are pleased with this latest offer.
• ~ that… It seems only fair that they should give us something in return.
• To be fair, she behaved better than we expected.
• (especially BrE) ‘You should really have asked me first.’ ‘Right, okay, fair comment.’

Opp: unfair

TREATING PEOPLE EQUALLY

2. treating everyone equally and according to the rules or law
• She has always been scrupulously fair.
• demands for a fairer distribution of wealth
• ~ (to sb) We have to be fair to both players.
• to receive a fair trial
• free and fair elections
• It's not fair! He always gets more than me.
• The new tax is fairer than the old system.
• They are fair and decent employers.
• his vision of a fairer, kinder society

Opp: unfair

QUITE LARGE
3. only before noun quite large in number, size or amount
• A fair number of people came a long.
• a fair-sized town
• We've still got a fair bit (= quite a lot) to do.

• My birthday's still a fair way off (= it's still a long time until my birthday).

QUITE GOOD
4. (especially BrE) quite good
• There's a fair chance that we might win this time.
• It's a fair bet that they won't turn up.
• I have a fair idea of what happened.

• His knowledge of French is only fair.

HAIR/SKIN
5. pale in colour
• a fair complexion
• She has long fair hair.
• All her children are fair (= they all have fair hair).

Opp: dark

WEATHER
6. bright and not raining
Syn: fine
• a fair and breezy day

• The day was set fair with the spring sun shining down.

7. (literary) (of winds) not too strong and blowing in the right direction

• They set sail with the first fair wind.

BEAUTIFUL
8. (literary or old use) beautiful
• a fair maiden
Word Origin:
adj. and adv. Old English fæger ‘pleasing, attractive’ Germanic Old High German fagar
n. Middle English ‘periodic gathering for the sale of goods’ Old French feire late Latin feria Latin feriae ‘holy days’

Thesaurus:
fair adj.
• We want a fair wage.
reasonable • • equal • • even-handed • • just • |formal equitable •
Opp: unfair
be fair/reasonable/just/equitable that…
a/an fair/reasonable/equal/just/equitable division/distribution/share of sth
be fair/reasonable/just law/punishment/sentence/judgement/person/man/woman
Example Bank:
• I don't care what he thinks. It seems perfectly fair to me.
• I'll give you ten pounds each to make it fair.
• It's hardly fair that I should be working while everyone else is enjoying themselves!
• It's important to be scrupulously fair when grading the final exam paper.
• That doesn't seem quite fair.
• That seems fair to all sides.
• To be fair, we hadn't really spent enough time on the job.
• ‘You really should have asked me first.’ ‘OK. Fair comment.’
• All we're asking for is a fair wage.
• Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
• For the first time, free and fair elections will be held.
• I don't think the sentence was very fair.
• I give you fair warning, I'm not always this generous.
• It was a fair and breezy day.
• It wasn't really fair to ask him to do all the work.
• It's a fair question, and it deserves to be taken seriously.
• It's fair to say that they are pleased with the latest offer.
• It's not fair on the students…
• It's not fair to the students to keep changing the schedule.
• It's not fair! He always gets more than me!
• It's only fair to say that this is the first time she's heard about the problem.
• It's quite expensive, but I still think it's a fair price.
• Scoring twenty points was a fair achievement.
• The day was set fair with the spring sun shining down.
• The new tax is fairer than the old one.
• They are demanding a fairer distribution of the earth's resources.
• To be fair, she behaved better than we expected.

Idioms: all's fair in love and war ▪ by fair means or foul ▪ fair and square ▪ fair crack of the whip ▪ fair enough ▪ fair hearing ▪ fair shake ▪ fair to middling ▪ fair! ▪ fair's fair ▪ fairly and squarely ▪ it's a fair cop ▪ set fair ▪ your fair share of something

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fair (BEAUTIFUL) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective OLD USE
(of a woman) beautiful:
a fair maiden

fairness /ˈfeə.nəs/ US /ˈfer-/
noun [U] OLD USE
beauty
See also fairness at fair (RIGHT).

fair (WEATHER) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective
(of weather) pleasant and dry:
Fair weather was forecast for the following day.

fair (QUITE GOOD) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective [before noun]
(of an idea, guess or chance) good, but not excellent:
I think I've got a fair idea of (= I understand reasonably well) what you want.
She's got a fair chance of winning (= There is a reasonable chance that she will win).

fair (QUITE LARGE) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective [before noun]
quite large:
We've had a fair amount of rain this week.
We've had a fair number of applicants.
It's a fair-sized garden.
We've come a long way, but there's still a fair way (= quite a long distance) to go.

fairly /ˈfeə.li/ US /ˈfer-/
adverb
1 more than average, but less than very:
She's fairly tall.
I'm fairly sure that this is the right address.
We get on fairly well.
I saw her fairly recently.
See also fairly at fair (RIGHT).

2 LITERARY used to emphasize figurative expressions which describe what people or objects are doing:
The answer fairly jumps off the page at you!
The dog fairly flew out of the door to greet him.

fair

[fe͟ə(r)]
♦♦
fairer, fairest, fairs
1) ADJ-GRADED: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf Something or someone that is fair is reasonable, right, and just.
  It didn't seem fair to leave out her father...
  Do you feel they're paying their fair share?...
  Independent observers say the campaign's been very much fairer than expected...
  I wanted them to get a fair deal...
  An appeals court had ruled that they could not get a fair trial in Los Angeles.
  Derived words:
  fairly ADV-GRADED usu ADV after v, also ADV -ed ...demonstrating concern for employees and solving their problems quickly and fairly... In a society where water was precious, it had to be shared fairly between individuals.
2) ADJ: ADJ n A fair amount, degree, size, or distance is quite a large amount, degree, size, or distance.
  My neighbours across the street travel a fair amount...
  My mother's brother lives a fair distance away so we don't see him and his family very often.
3) ADJ: ADJ n A fair guess or idea about something is one that is likely to be correct.
  It's a fair guess to say that the damage will be extensive...
  I have a fair idea of how difficult things can be.
  Syn:
  reasonable
4) ADJ If you describe someone or something as fair, you mean that they are average in standard or quality, neither very good nor very bad.
  Reimar had a fair command of English.
  Syn:
  adequate
5) ADJ-GRADED Someone who is fair, or who has fair hair, has light-coloured hair.
  Both children were very like Robina, but were much fairer than she was.
COMB in ADJ-GRADED
Fair is also a combining form. ...a tall, fair-haired Englishman.
6) ADJ-GRADED Fair skin is very pale and usually burns easily.
  It's important to protect my fair skin from the sun.
COMB in ADJ-GRADED
Fair is also a combining form. Fair-skinned people who spend a great deal of time in the sun have the greatest risk of skin cancer.
7) ADJ-GRADED When the weather is fair, it is quite sunny and not raining. [FORMAL]
  Weather conditions were fair.
  Syn:
  fine
8) N-COUNT: usu n N A county, state, or country fair is an event where there are, for example, displays of goods and animals, and amusements, games, and competitions.
9) N-COUNT A fair is the same as a funfair. [BRIT](in AM, use carnival)
10) N-COUNT: oft n N A fair is an event at which people display and sell goods, especially goods of a particular type.
→ See also craft fair, trade fair
  ...an antiques fair.
11) PHRASE: PHR with cl You use fair in expressions such as to be fair and let's be fair when you want to add a favourable comment about someone or something that you have just mentioned and to correct a false impression that you might have given.
  To be fair, the team is young and not yet settled...
  And, let us be fair, some MPs do work hard.
  Syn:
  in all fairness
12) PHRASE: PHR with cl You use fair enough when you want to say that a statement, decision, or action seems reasonable to a certain extent, but that perhaps there is more to be said or done. [mainly SPOKEN]
  If you don't like it, fair enough, but that's hardly a justification to attack the whole thing...
  Fair enough, you didn't have a perfectly happy childhood: but your childhood is over now.
13) CONVENTION You say fair enough to acknowledge what someone has just said and to indicate that you understand it. [SPOKEN]
  `I'm taking it to our local police station.' - `Oh right, fair enough.'...
  `The message was addressed to me and I don't see why I should show it to you.' - `Fair enough.'
  Syn:
  OK
14) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone plays fair, you mean that they behave or act in a reasonable and honest way.
  The government is not playing fair, one union official told me.
15) PHRASE: PHR that You use fair in expressions such as It would be fair to say in order to introduce a statement which you believe to be true and reasonable.
  It would be fair to say he had one or two unhappy moments out there...
  I think it's fair to say that it didn't sound quite right.
16) PHRASE: PHR after v If you say that someone won a competition fair and square, you mean that they won honestly and without cheating.
  There are no excuses. We were beaten fair and square.
17) a fair crack of the whip → see crack

fair (AVERAGE) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective [after verb]
neither very good nor very bad:
Films are rated on a scale of poor, fair, good and excellent.
I was fair at science but it was never my thing.

fair (PALE) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective
(of skin) pale, or (of hair) pale yellow or golden:
She's got fair hair and blue eyes.
a fair complexion
My sister's dark and my brother's fair (= He has fair hair).
He's fair-haired.
All my family are fair-skinned.

fair (RIGHT) /feəʳ/ US /fer/
adjective
1 treating someone in a way that is right or reasonable, or treating a group of people equally and not allowing personal opinions to influence your judgment:
a fair trial
Why should I have to do all the cleaning? It's not fair!
It's not fair on Joe (= It is not right) to make him do all the work!
It's not fair that she's allowed to go and I'm not!
It's not fair to blame me for everything!
She's scrupulously fair with all her employees (= she treats them all equally).
She claims her article was a fair comment on (= a reasonable thing to say about) a matter of public interest.
He offered to do all the cleaning if I did all the cooking, which seemed like a fair (= reasonable) deal.

2 If something, such as a price or share, is fair, it is reasonable and is what you expect or deserve:
I thought it was a fair price that she was offering.
I'm willing to do my fair (= equal) share of the work.
All the workers want is a fair wage for the work that they do.

3 If a game or competition is fair, it is done according to the rules:
It was a fair fight.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹fair /ˈfeɚ/ adj fair·er; -est
1 : agreeing with what is thought to be right or acceptable
• We received fair treatment.
• fair elections
• a fair fight
• a fair bargain/deal/trade
• I'm just trying to get a fair price for the house. [=I'm not trying to get more money for the house than most people think is right]
• That's a fair question, and it deserves an honest reply.
• The workers claim that they are not being paid fair wages. [=they are being paid less than they should be paid]
• It's only fair [=it is the right thing] to tell him the truth.
• I washed the dishes yesterday, so it's only fair (that) you to do them today.
• He gets his fair share of attention too. [=he gets a reasonable amount of attention]
• She's had more than her fair share of trouble. [=she has had a lot of trouble]
2 : treating people in a way that does not favor some over others
• He is known as a very fair man.
• I try to be fair to/with my children.
• He claims that the competition wasn't fair.
• It's not fair that she gets to leave early and I don't.
• Sometimes life isn't fair.
• a fair and impartial jury
• a bargain/deal/trade that is fair to/for everyone
• All she wants is a fair chance. [=the same chance everyone else gets]
3 : not too harsh or critical
• “What a bad movie!” “Be fair! Parts of it are actually pretty funny.”
• I can't say I liked the movie, but, to be fair, parts of it are pretty funny.
• She did poorly on the test, but, to be fair, so did a lot of other people.
4 a : not very good or very bad : of average or acceptable quality
• Her work has been fair to good.
• The quality of her work has been only fair.
• I think our waiter did a fair job.
• The patient has been upgraded from serious to fair condition.
• The food was fair to middling. [=just average; not especially good]
b approving : reasonably good : good although usually not excellent
• The team has a fair [=pretty good] chance of winning the championship this year.
• He does a pretty fair [=good] imitation of the President.
• He was able to give us a fair idea of the problems involved.
• It's a fair bet that the weather will improve soon.
• “I'm guessing that he's about 50 years old.” “That's a fair guess, but he's actually almost 60.”
c always used before a noun : reasonably large - used to describe an amount or size that is not small although it is also not extremely large
• There were a fair number of new participants at the convention.
• Researchers now know a fair amount about the earliest humans.
• He lives a fair distance from here.
5 : not stormy or cloudy
• fair skies
• fair weather
6 of a person's hair, skin, etc. : having a light color
• fair hair/skin
• a person of fair complexion
• a fair-skinned person
- opposite dark
7 literary + old-fashioned : attractive or pleasing to look at
• We're happy to welcome you to our fair [=lovely] city.
• a fair maid/maiden
• Who's the fairest of them all?
8 baseball : in the area between the foul lines
• The ball was caught in fair territory.
✦A fair ball is a batted ball that lands in the area between the foul lines.
- compare foul
a fair bit
- see ¹bit
a fair shake
- see ²shake
all's fair in love and war
- used to describe a situation in which people do not follow the usual rules of behavior and do things that are normally considered unfair
• Sure, it was underhanded to steal his customers, but all's fair in love and war.
bid fair
- see ¹bid
fair and square : in an honest and fair manner
• He won the election fair and square.
fair crack of the whip
- see ²crack
fair enough informal
- used to say that something is reasonable or fair
• “I'll wash the dishes today, and you can wash them tomorrow.” “Fair enough.”
• “He needs more time.” “Fair enough, but we can't wait too much longer.”
fair's fair informal
- used to say that something was done or should be done because it is fair
• Fair's fair: I washed the dishes yesterday, so it's your turn to do them today.
fair to say
✦A comment that is fair to say is reasonable and is not expected to cause argument.
• The key concept in this book, I think it is fair to say, is freedom.
• She's not entirely to blame, but it's (only) fair to say that she handled the situation badly.
fair warning : enough warning to be able to avoid something bad
• I'm giving you fair warning that you had better not discuss politics at dinner tonight.
it's a fair cop
- see ¹cop
- fair adv
• He claims that his opponent wasn't playing fair. [=wasn't playing according to the rules]
- fair·ness noun [noncount]
• She questioned the fairness of the decision.
• In the interest of fairness, let's not mention any names.
• She did poorly, but in all fairness [=to be fair to her], she was tired.