[fair] adj [ME fager, fair, fr. OE faeger; akin to OHG fagar beautiful] (bef. 12c) 1: pleasing to the eye or mind esp. because of fresh, charming, or flawless quality
2: superficially pleasing: specious "she trusted his ~ promises" 3 a: clean, pure "~ sparkling water" b: clear, legible
4: not stormy or foul: fine "~ weather"
5: ample "a ~ estate"
6. a: marked by impartiality and honesty: free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism "a very ~ person to do business with" b (1): conforming with the established rules: allowed (2): consonant with merit or importance: due "a ~ share" c: open to legitimate pursuit, attack, or ridicule "~ game"
7. a: promising, likely "in a ~ way to win" b: favorable to a ship's course "a ~ wind"
8. archaic: free of obstacles 9: not dark: blond 10: sufficient but not ample: adequate "a ~ understanding of the work" 11: being such to the utmost: utter "a ~ treat to watch him --New Republic" -- fair.ness n syn fair, just, equitable, impartial, unbiased, dispassionate, objective mean free from favor toward either or any side. fair implies an elimination of one's own feelings, prejudices, and desires so as to achieve a proper balance of conflicting interests "a fair decision". just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper "a just settlement of territorial claims". equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usu. suggests equal treatment of all concerned "the equitable distribution of the property". impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice "an impartial third party". unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice "your unbiased opinion". dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment "a dispassionate summation of the facts". objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings "I can't be objective about my own child". syn see in addition beautiful
[2]fair n (bef. 12c) 1 obs: beauty, fairness
2: something that is fair or fortunate 3 archaic: woman; esp: sweetheart -- for fair : to the greatest extent or degree: fully "the rush is on for fair" -- no fair : something that is not according to the rules "that's no fair" [3]fair adv (bef. 12c) chiefly Brit: fairly
5. [4]fair vi (1836) of the weather: clear ~ vt: to join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly [5]fair n [ME feire, fr. OF, fr. ML feria weekday, fair, fr. LL, festal day, fr. L feriae (pl.) holidays--more at feast] (13c) 1: a gathering of buyers and sellers at a particular place and time for trade
2. a: a competitive exhibition (as of farm products) usu. with accompanying entertainment and amusements b: an exhibition designed to acquaint prospective buyers or the general public with a product
3: a sale of assorted articles usu. for a charitable purpose