/ feə(r); NAmE fer/ adjective , adverb , noun
■ adjective
( fair·er , fair·est )
ACCEPTABLE / APPROPRIATE
1.
fair (to / on sb) acceptable and appropriate in a particular situation :
a fair deal / wage / price / question
The punishment was very fair.
Was it really fair to him to ask him to do all the work?
It's not fair on the students to keep changing the timetable.
It's only fair to add that they were not told about the problem until the last minute.
It seems only fair that they should give us something in return.
I think it is fair to say that they are pleased with this latest offer.
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.
fair (to sb) treating everyone equally and according to the rules or law :
She has always been scrupulously fair.
demands for a fairer distribution of wealth
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.
OPP unfair
QUITE LARGE
3.
[ only before noun ] quite large in number, size or amount :
A fair number of people came along.
a fair-sized town
We've still got a fair bit (= quite a lot) to do.
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
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
•
IDIOMS
- all's fair in love and war
- be fair!
- by fair means or foul
- a fair crack of the whip
- fair enough
- fair's fair
- (give sb) a fair hearing
- (give sb / get) a fair shake
- (more than) your fair share of sth
- fair to middling
- it's a fair cop
■ adverb
according to the rules; in a way that is considered to be acceptable and appropriate :
Come on, you two, fight fair!
They'll respect you as long as you play fair (= behave honestly) .
•
IDIOMS
- fair and square | fairly and squarely
- set fair (to do sth / for sth)
—more at say verb
■ noun
ENTERTAINMENT
1.
( BrE also fun·fair ) ( NAmE also car·ni·val ) a type of entertainment in a field or park at which people can ride on large machines and play games to win prizes :
Let's take the kids to the fair.
all the fun of the fair
2.
( NAmE ) a type of entertainment in a field or park at which farm animals and products are shown and take part in competitions :
the county / state fair
3.
( BrE ) = fête
BUSINESS
4.
an event at which people, businesses, etc. show and sell their goods :
a world trade fair
a craft / a book / an antique fair
ANIMAL MARKET
5.
( BrE ) (in the past) a market at which animals were sold :
a horse fair
JOBS
6.
job / careers ~ an event at which people who are looking for jobs can get information about companies who might employ them
••
WORD ORIGIN
adjective and adverb Old English fæger pleasing, attractive , of Germanic origin; related to Old High German fagar .
noun Middle English (in the sense periodic gathering for the sale of goods ): from Old French feire , from late Latin feria , singular of Latin feriae holy days (on which such fairs were often held).