Fair vs. Fairly

Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.

Example: ‘Monday's child is fair of face.’; ‘There was once a knight who wooed a fair young maid.’;

Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.

Example: ‘one's fair name’; ‘After scratching out and replacing various words in the manuscript, he scribed a fair copy to send to the publisher.’;

Light in color, pale, particularly as regards skin tone but also referring to blond hair.

Example: ‘She had fair hair and blue eyes.’;

Just, equitable.

Example: ‘He must be given a fair trial.’;

Adequate, reasonable, or decent.

Example: ‘The patient was in a fair condition after some treatment.’;

Favorable to a ship's course.

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.

Example: ‘a fair sky;’; ‘a fair day’;

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.

Example: ‘a fair mark;’; ‘in fair sight;’; ‘a fair view’;

(shipbuilding) Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

(baseball) Between the baselines.

Something which is fair (in various senses of the adjective).

Example: ‘When will we learn to distinguish between the fair and the foul?’;

(obsolete) A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.

(obsolete) Fairness, beauty.

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

(obsolete) Good fortune; good luck.

A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.

An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.

An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.

A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).

To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).

To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).

To construct or design a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline or reduce air drag or water resistance.

(obsolete) To make fair or beautiful.

clearly, openly, frankly, civilly, honestly, favorably, auspiciously, agreeably

Free from spots, specks, dirt, or imperfection; unblemished; clean; pure.

Example: ‘A fair white linen cloth.’;

Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful.

Example: ‘Who can not see many a fair French city, for one fair French made.’;

Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin.

Example: ‘The northern people large and fair-complexioned.’;

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; favorable; - said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day.

Example: ‘You wish fair winds may waft him over.’;

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unincumbered; open; direct; - said of a road, passage, etc.; as, a fair mark; in fair sight; a fair view.

Example: ‘The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged.’;

Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; - said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

Characterized by frankness, honesty, impartiality, or candor; open; upright; free from suspicion or bias; equitable; just; - said of persons, character, or conduct; as, a fair man; fair dealing; a fair statement.

Pleasing; favorable; inspiring hope and confidence; - said of words, promises, etc.

Example: ‘When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty.’;

Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting.

Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen.

Example: ‘The news is very fair and good, my lord.’;

Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably.

Fairness, beauty.

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

Example: ‘I have found out a gift for my fair.’;

Good fortune; good luck.

Example: ‘Now fair befall thee !’;

A gathering of buyers and sellers, assembled at a particular place with their merchandise at a stated or regular season, or by special appointment, for trade.

A festival, and sale of fancy articles. erc., usually for some charitable object; as, a Grand Army fair; a church fair.

A competitive exhibition of wares, farm products, etc., not primarily for purposes of sale; as, the Mechanics' fair; an agricultural fair.

an exhibition by a number of organizations, including governmental organizations, for the purpose of acquainting people with such organizations or their members, not primarily for commercial purposes; as, the 1939 World's Fair.

Example: ‘Meet me in St. Louis, LouisMeet me at the fairDon't tell me the lights are shiningAnyplace but there.’;

To make fair or beautiful.

Example: ‘Fairing the foul.’;

To make smooth and flowing, as a vessel's lines.

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

gathering of producers to promote business;

Example: ‘world fair’; ‘trade fair’; ‘book fair’;

a competitive exhibition of farm products;

Example: ‘she won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair’;

a sale of miscellany; often for charity;

Example: ‘the church bazaar’;

join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

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

Example: ‘a fair referee’; ‘fair deal’; ‘on a fair footing’; ‘a fair fight’; ‘by fair means or foul’;

showing lack of favoritism;

Example: ‘the cold neutrality of an impartial judge’;

more than adequate in quality;

Example: ‘fair work’;

not excessive or extreme;

Example: ‘a fairish income’; ‘reasonable prices’;

visually appealing;

Example: ‘our fair city’;

very pleasing to the eye;

Example: ‘my bonny lass’; ‘there's a bonny bay beyond’; ‘a comely face’; ‘young fair maidens’;

(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines;

Example: ‘he hit a fair ball over the third base bag’;

of no exceptional quality or ability;

Example: ‘a novel of average merit’; ‘only a fair performance of the sonata’; ‘in fair health’; ‘the caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above average’; ‘the performance was middling at best’;

attractively feminine;

Example: ‘the fair sex’;

(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections;

Example: ‘fair copy’; ‘a clean manuscript’;

free of clouds or rain;

Example: ‘today will be fair and warm’;

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

Example: ‘a fair complexion’;

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

Example: ‘they played fairly’;

in a fair evenhanded manner;

Example: ‘deal fairly with one another’;

treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination

Example: ‘the group has achieved fair and equal representation for all its members’; ‘a fairer distribution of wealth’;

just or appropriate in the circumstances

Example: ‘to be fair, this subject poses special problems’; ‘it's not fair to take it out on her’;

(of a means or procedure) not violent

Example: ‘try first by fair means’;

(of hair or complexion) light; blonde

Example: ‘a pretty girl with long fair hair’;

(of a person) having a light complexion or hair

Example: ‘he's very fair with blue eyes’;

considerable though not outstanding in size or amount

Example: ‘he did a fair bit of coaching’;

moderately good

Example: ‘he believes he has a fair chance of success’;

complete; utter

Example: ‘this cow is a fair swine’;

(of weather) fine and dry

Example: ‘a fair autumn day’;

(of the wind) favourable

Example: ‘they set sail with a fair wind’;

beautiful

Example: ‘the fairest of her daughters’;

(of words) specious despite being initially attractive

Example: ‘the Sophists have plenty of brave words and fair devices’;

without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage

Example: ‘no one could say he played fair’;

to a high degree

Example: ‘she'll be fair delighted to see you’;

a beautiful woman

Example: ‘pursuing his fair in a solitary street’;

a gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment

Example: ‘I won a goldfish at the fair’;

a periodic gathering for the sale of goods.

an exhibition to promote particular products

Example: ‘the European Fine Art Fair’;

an annual competitive exhibition of livestock, agricultural products, etc., held by a town, county, or state.

(of the weather) become fine

Example: ‘looks like it's fairing off some’;

streamline (a vehicle, boat, or aircraft) by adding fairings

Example: ‘it is fully faired and race ready’;

A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks.

(manner) In a fair manner; not biased or skewed or favouring a certain party

Example: ‘A jury is expected to ensure that the accused is fairly judged.’;

Favorably; auspiciously; commodiously.

Example: ‘a town fairly situated for foreign trade’;

Honestly; properly.

Example: ‘Consumer laws aim to have consumers fairly treated.’;

Softly; quietly; gently.

(degree) Partly, not fully; somewhat.

Example: ‘The weather this weekend will be fairly dry.’;

(dated) Almost; practically.

In a fair manner; clearly; openly; plainly; fully; distinctly; frankly.

Example: ‘Even the nature of Mr. Dimmesdale's disease had never fairly been revealed to him.’;

Favorably; auspiciously; commodiously; as, a town fairly situated for foreign trade.

Honestly; properly.

Example: ‘Such means of comfort or even luxury, as lay fairly within their grasp.’;

Softly; quietly; gently.

to a moderately sufficient extent or degree;

Example: ‘the shoes are priced reasonably’; ‘he is fairly clever with computers’; ‘they lived comfortably within reason’;

in a fair evenhanded manner;

Example: ‘deal fairly with one another’;

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

Example: ‘they played fairly’;

Fairly is a surname.