fair

I

[[t]fɛər[/t]]

adj. and adv. fair•er, fair•est.

1) free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice

2) legitimately sought, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules:

a fair fight[/ex]

3) moderately large; ample:

a fair income[/ex]

4) neither excellent nor poor; moderately or tolerably good:

fair health[/ex]

5) mer

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

6) of a light hue; not dark:

fair skin[/ex]

7) pleasing in appearance; attractive:

a fair young maiden[/ex]

8) naut. navig. (of a wind or tide) tending to aid the progress of a vessel

9) marked by favoring conditions; likely; promising:

in a fair way to succeed[/ex]

10) without irregularity or unevenness:

a fair surface[/ex]

11) free from blemish

12) courteous; civil:

fair words[/ex]

13) in a fair manner:

He doesn't play fair[/ex]

14) favorably; auspiciously

15) archaic something that is fair

16) archaic

a) a woman

b) a beloved woman

17) naut. navig. to draw and adjust (the lines of a ship's hull being designed) to produce regular surfaces of the correct form

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- bid fairfair and square fair to middling

Etymology: bef. 900; ME; OE fæger fair′ness, n. syn: fair, impartial, disinterested refer to lack of bias in opinions, judgments, etc. fair implies the treating of all sides alike, justly and equitably: a fair compromise. impartial also 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 from lack of desire to obtain a selfish advantage: a disinterested concern that the best person win. II

fair

[[t]fɛər[/t]] n.

1) a usu. competitive exhibition of farm products, livestock, etc., often combined with entertainment and held annually by a county or state

2) a periodic gathering of buyers and sellers in an appointed place

3) cvb an exposition in which different exhibitors participate, often with the purpose of buying or selling or of familiarizing the public with the products:

a home-furnishings fair[/ex]

4) an exhibition and sale of articles to raise money, often for some charitable purpose

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Etymology: 1300–50; ME feire < AF, OF < LL fēria religious festival, holiday (ML: market), in L only pl.; akin to feast