adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from fair (I) + -ly
1.
a.
(1) : handsomely , beautifully
she likes to be overlooking the table with its fairly set dishes and silver — Eve Langley
(2) of writing : in the manner of a final draft : neatly , elegantly
one little essay … written out fairly for the press but never published — Richard Garnett †1906
you excelled in writing fairly — George Lillo
b. obsolete : softly , quietly , gently
c. obsolete : courteously
2.
a. : to the full degree or extent : clearly , definitely , actually , plainly , distinctly , fully
when the captain is on board and we are fairly off — Rachel Henning
amongst the boys scurrying to their ten-o'clocks I fairly caught sight of him — Atlantic
when I had him fairly seated in a hackney coach with me — James Boswell
the chestnut, finding himself fairly in for it, struck out gamely — Henry Lapham
badly wounded before the battle had fairly begun
b. : as it were : so to speak : absolutely , positively , downright
the pages fairly quiver with indignation — Alban Baer
its waters … are fairly alive with crocodiles — Tom Marvel
fairly boiling over with pride — Dorothy C. Fisher
fairly lifted the waters of the gulf and hurled them through the city — A.F.Harlow
c. : squarely , cleanly
one of her 8-inch salvos smashed fairly into a large warship — Time
3.
a. : in conformity with the evidence, with reason, or with one's merits : justifiably , properly , legitimately , rightfully
our business is to show that the doctrine is false and this we may fairly claim to have done — A.J.Ayer
his services have fairly earned him promotion
b.
(1) : in a just or lawful manner : without fraud, injury, or unfair advantage : equitably
fought and beat him fairly
come by something fairly
(2) : without bias or distortion : impartially , candidly , accurately , objectively
the merits of the plea were fairly considered
fairly described as all very decayed and horrible
4. : tolerably , moderately , rather
a fairly difficult scientific text
a fairly steady diet of lamb and beef
: moderately well
how are you getting along? Only fairly
: pleasantly
the evening passed away very fairly — Henry Lapham