fair ( fairer comparative) ( fairest superlative) ( fairs plural )
1 adj Something or someone that is fair is reasonable, right, and just.
oft it v-link ADJ to-inf
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..., An appeals court had ruled that they could not get a fair trial in Los Angeles.
♦
fairly adv 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 A fair amount, degree, size, or distance is quite a large amount, degree, size, or distance.
ADJ n
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 A fair guess or idea about something is one that is likely to be correct.
ADJ n
(=reasonable)
It's a fair guess to say that the damage will be extensive..., I have a fair idea of how difficult things can be.
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.
(=adequate)
Reimar had a fair command of English.
5 adj 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.
Fair is also a combining form., comb in adj
...a tall, fair-haired Englishman.
6 adj Fair skin is very pale and usually burns easily.
It's important to protect my fair skin from the sun.
Fair is also a combining form., comb in adj
Fair-skinned people who spend a great deal of time in the sun have the greatest risk of skin cancer.
7 adj When the weather is fair, it is quite sunny and not raining.
FORMAL
(=fine)
Weather conditions were fair.
8 n-count A county, state, or country fair is an event where there are, for example, displays of goods and animals, and amusements, games, and competitions.
usu n N
9 n-count A fair is an event at which people display and sell goods, especially goods of a particular type.
oft n N
...an antiques fair.
→
craft fair
→
trade fair
10 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
♦
fair enough phrase PHR with cl
If you don't like it, fair enough, but that's hardly a justification to attack the whole thing...
11 If you say that someone plays fair, you mean that they behave or act in a reasonable and honest way.
♦
to play fair phrase V inflects
The government is not playing fair, one union official told me.
12 If you say that someone won a competition fair and square, you mean that they won honestly and without cheating. ♦
fair and square phrase PHR after v There are no excuses. We were beaten fair and square.
fairly
1 adv Fairly means to quite a large degree. For example, if you say that something is fairly old, you mean that it is old but not very old.
ADV adj/adv
(=quite)
Both ships are fairly new..., We did fairly well but only fairly well.
2 adv You use fairly instead of `very' to add emphasis to an adjective or adverb without making it sound too forceful.
ADV adj/adv (vagueness)
(=pretty)
Were you always fairly bright at school?..., I'll have no income and no home and will need a job fairly badly.