fair

fair1 [ fer ] adjective ***

▸ 1 treating all equally

▸ 2 reasonable/morally right

▸ 3 not bad but not very good

▸ 4 pleasant and not raining

▸ 5 light in color

▸ 6 likely to be correct

▸ 7 beautiful

▸ 8 when size etc. is large

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) if a situation is fair, everyone is treated equally and in a reasonable way:

Life is not always fair.

Everyone has a right to a fair trial.

free and fair elections

it is not fair to someone: It wouldn't be fair to the others if she is paid more.

a ) a fair person treats everyone equally and in a reasonable way:

Teachers have to be scrupulously fair in grading test papers.

2. ) reasonable and morally right:

a fair deal/price/share: We aim to provide healthy food at fair prices.

it is (not) fair to do something: It is not fair to attack his personal life in this way.

a ) it is only fair used for saying that a particular action is correct or reasonable:

It is only fair to let him go.

fair (that): It's only fair that I should pay half of the cost.

3. ) not bad but not very good: AVERAGE

4. ) if the weather is fair, it is pleasant and not raining

5. ) fair hair is BLONDE (=light yellow) or very light brown in color

a ) someone who is fair has light hair and pale skin

─ opposite DARK

6. ) a fair guess or idea is reasonable and likely to be correct:

have a fair idea of something: I had a fair idea of what he was going to say next.

7. ) LITERARY beautiful:

a fair princess

8. ) only before noun used for emphasizing that an amount, size, number, etc. is large:

By this time she had saved up a fair amount of money.

all's fair in love and war SPOKEN

used for saying that unfair behavior is allowed in some situations

be fair SPOKEN

used for telling someone to stop being unreasonable

by fair means or foul

using whatever methods are necessary, even dishonest or illegal methods

fair and square

in a way that is clear and fair, so that no one can complain or disagree:

She had to admit she'd been defeated fair and square.

fair comment SPOKEN

used for saying that you accept a statement or criticism

fair enough SPOKEN

1. ) used for saying that you understand and accept what someone says

2. ) used for saying that something seems reasonable but you do not agree with it completely:

If you want to waste your time, fair enough, but don't waste mine too.

fair's fair SPOKEN

used for saying that someone should accept something because it is fair

a fair shake INFORMAL

a fair chance

(I) can't say fairer than that BRITISH SPOKEN

used for saying that something is the best and fairest offer you can make

it's a fair bet (that) BRITISH

used for saying that something seems likely to happen:

If we leave, it's a fair bet that she'll come after us.

it's fair to say (that)

used for saying that a particular statement is likely to be true:

I think it's fair to say that people are not happy about this new tax.

(more than) your fair share of something

used for emphasizing that an amount is very large, especially an amount of something bad:

Jean has had her fair share of tragedy.

play fair

to behave in a way that is fair and honest and follows the rules

seem/look/be set fair BRITISH FORMAL

to seem likely to succeed

to be fair or let's be fair

used for making your criticism of someone or something seem less strong:

I have never liked their music, although, to be fair, millions of people disagree with me.

with your own fair hands BRITISH HUMOROUS

used for saying that you have made or done something yourself

fair

fair 2 [ fer ] noun count *

1. ) funfair an event where people ride on special machines and play games to win prizes

2. ) an event where people or companies bring their products for you to look at or buy:

an antiques/art/book fair

3. ) fête an event organized by a school, church, or CHARITY to make money