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fair

When used as a noun, fair refers to a traveling show with games, rides, and farmers showing off their prized pigs, similar to a carnival. As an adjective, it gets a bit trickier.

The adjective fair, has several different meanings. If someone says, "That's not fair!” they mean whatever happened wasn't just or done in an unbiased way. If you have fair skin, you have a pale complexion. If the weather is fair, it's a gorgeous day out. If the rides at the fair were fair, then they were just so-so. And watch out if the umpire shouts "fair ball!" during the baseball game — that means it was hit within the foul lines.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: fair

1
 adjadv
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating
2
 adj
very pleasing to the eye
3
 adj
free of clouds or rain
4
 adj
(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored
5
 adj
lacking exceptional quality or ability
6
 n
gathering of producers to promote business
7
 v
join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: fair
1

adj free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

“a fair referee”
“fair deal”
“on a fair footing”
“a fair fight”
“by fair means or foul”
Synonyms:
just
antimonopoly, antitrust
of laws and regulations; designed to protect trade and commerce from unfair business practices
clean, sporting, sportsmanlike, sporty
exhibiting or calling for sportsmanship or fair play
fair-minded
of a person; just and impartial; not prejudiced
fair-and-square
just and honest
just
used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting
impartial
showing lack of favoritism
reasonable, sensible
showing reason or sound judgment
Antonyms:
unfair, unjust
not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception
below the belt
disregarding the rules (from the notion of an illegal low blow in boxing)
cheating, dirty, foul, unsporting, unsportsmanlike
violating accepted standards or rules
raw
brutally unfair or harsh
unjust
violating principles of justice
partial
showing favoritism
show more antonyms...

adj gained or earned without cheating or stealing

“an fair penny”
Synonyms:
honest
equitable, just
fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience

adj (of a baseball) hit between the foul lines

“he hit a fair ball over the third base bag”
Synonyms
in-bounds
between the first and third base lines
Antonyms:
foul
(of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines
out-of-bounds
outside the foul lines
show more antonyms...

adj not excessive or extreme

Synonyms:
fairish, reasonable
moderate
being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme

adj (of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections

“fair copy”
Synonyms:
clean
legible
(of handwriting, print, etc.) capable of being read or deciphered

adv in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating

Synonyms:
clean, fairly
Antonyms:
below the belt, unfairly
in an unfair manner

adv without favoring one party, in a fair evenhanded manner

Synonyms:
evenhandedly, fairly
2

adj very pleasing to the eye

“young fair maidens”
Synonyms:
bonnie, bonny, comely, sightly
beautiful
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

adj attractively feminine

“the fair sex”
Synonyms
feminine
associated with women and not with men
3

adj free of clouds or rain

“today will be fair and warm”
Synonyms
clear
free from clouds or mist or haze
4

adj (used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored

“a fair complexion”
Synonyms:
fairish
blond, blonde, light-haired
being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or grey eyes
5

adj lacking exceptional quality or ability

“only a fair performance of the sonata”
“in fair health”
Synonyms:
average, mediocre, middling
ordinary
not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree
6

n gathering of producers to promote business

“world fair”
“trade fair”
“book fair”
Types:
book fair, bookfair
fair organized by publishers or booksellers to promote the sale of books
Type of:
assemblage, gathering
a group of persons together in one place

n a competitive exhibition of farm products

“she won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair”
Type of:
exhibition, expo, exposition
a collection of things (goods or works of art etc.) for public display

n a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.

Synonyms:
carnival, funfair
Type of:
show
the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining

n a sale of miscellany; often for charity

Synonyms:
bazaar
Types:
book fair, bookfair
bazaar at which books are sold or auctioned off in order to raise funds for a worthy cause
craft fair
a fair at which objects made by craftsmen are offered for sale
Type of:
cut-rate sale, sale, sales event
an occasion (usually brief) for buying at specially reduced prices
7

v join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

Type of:
bring together, join
cause to become joined or linked
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