Fair vs. White

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.

Bright and colourless; reflecting equal quantities of all frequencies of visible light.

Example: ‘Write in black ink on white paper.’;

(sometimes capitalized) Of or relating to Caucasians, people of European descent with light-coloured skin.

Designated for use by Caucasians.

Example: ‘white drinking fountain;’; ‘white hospital’;

Relatively light or pale in colour.

Example: ‘white wine;’; ‘white grapes’;

Pale or pallid, as from fear, illness, etc.

Lacking coloration (tan) from ultraviolet light; not tanned.

(of coffee or tea) Containing cream, milk, or creamer.

The standard denomination of the playing pieces of a board game deemed to belong to the white set, no matter what the actual colour.

Example: ‘The white pieces in this set are in fact made of light green glass.’;

Pertaining to an ecclesiastical order whose adherents dress in white habits; Cistercian.

Honourable, fair; decent.

Grey, as from old age; having silvery hair; hoary.

(archaic) Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favourable.

(obsolete) Regarded with especial favour; favourite; darling.

(politics) Pertaining to constitutional or anti-revolutionary political parties or movements.

(of tea) Made from immature leaves and shoots.

(typography) Not containing characters; see white space.

(typography) Said of a symbol or character outline, not solid, not filled with color. Compare said of a character or symbol filled with color.

Characterised by the presence of snow

The color/colour of snow or milk; the colour of light containing equal amounts of all visible wavelengths.

A person of European descent with light-coloured skin.

The albumen of bird eggs (egg white).

(anatomy) The sclera, white of the eye.

Any butterfly of the Pieris genus.

The cue ball in cue games.

White wine.

Cocaine

(archery) The central part of the butt, which was formerly painted white; the centre of a mark at which a missile is shot.

The snow- or ice-covered "green" in snow golf.

A white pigment.

Example: ‘Venice white’;

(countable) Anything that is of the color white.

The enclosed part of a letter of the alphabet, especially when handwritten.

(transitive) To make white; to whiten; to bleach.

Reflecting to the eye all the rays of the spectrum combined; not tinted with any of the proper colors or their mixtures; having the color of pure snow; snowy; - the opposite of black or dark; as, white paper; a white skin.

Example: ‘White as the whitest lily on a stream.’;

Destitute of color, as in the cheeks, or of the tinge of blood color; pale; pallid; as, white with fear.

Example: ‘Or whispering with white lips, "The foe!They come! they come!"’;

Having the color of purity; free from spot or blemish, or from guilt or pollution; innocent; pure.

Example: ‘White as thy fame, and as thy honor clear.’; ‘No whiter page than Addison's remains.’;

Gray, as from age; having silvery hair; hoary.

Example: ‘Your high engendered battles 'gainst a headSo old and white as this.’;

Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favorable.

Example: ‘On the whole, however, the dominie reckoned this as one of the white days of his life.’;

Regarded with especial favor; favorite; darling.

Example: ‘Come forth, my white spouse.’; ‘I am his white boy, and will not be gullet.’; ‘Driving their cattle continually with them, and feeding only upon their milk and white meats.’; ‘A pistol charged with white powder.’;

The color of pure snow; one of the natural colors of bodies, yet not strictly a color, but a composition of all colors; the opposite of black; whiteness. See the Note under Color, n., 1.

Example: ‘Finely attired in a of white.’;

Something having the color of snow; something white, or nearly so; as, the white of the eye.

Specifically, the central part of the butt in archery, which was formerly painted white; the center of a mark at which a missile is shot.

Example: ‘'T was I won the wager, though you hit the white.’;

A person with a white skin; a member of the white, or Caucasian, races of men.

A white pigment; as, Venice white.

Any one of numerous species of butterflies belonging to Pieris, and allied genera in which the color is usually white. See Cabbage butterfly, under Cabbage.

To make white; to whiten; to whitewash; to bleach.

Example: ‘Whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of . . . uncleanness.’; ‘So as no fuller on earth can white them.’;

a member of the Caucasoid race

the quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)

Australian writer (1912-1990)

United States political journalist (1915-1986)

United States architect (1853-1906)

United States writer noted for his humorous essays (1899-1985)

United States educator who in 1865 (with Ezra Cornell) founded Cornell University and served as its first president (1832-1918)

a tributary of the Mississippi River that flows southeastward through northern Arkansas and southern Missouri

(board games) the lighter pieces

(usually in the plural) trousers

turn white;

Example: ‘This detergent will whiten your laundry’;

being of the achromatic color of maximum lightness; having little or no hue owing to reflection of almost all incident light;

Example: ‘as white as fresh snow’; ‘a bride's white dress’;

of or belonging to a racial group having light skin coloration;

Example: ‘voting patterns within the white population’;

free from moral blemish or impurity; unsullied;

Example: ‘in shining white armor’;

marked by the presence of snow;

Example: ‘a white Christmas’; ‘the white hills of a northern winter’;

restricted to whites only;

Example: ‘under segregation there were even white restrooms and white drinking fountains’; ‘a lily-white movement which would expel Negroes from the organization’;

glowing white with heat;

Example: ‘white flames’; ‘a white-hot center of the fire’;

benevolent; without malicious intent;

Example: ‘white magic’; ‘a white lie’; ‘that's white of you’;

of a surface; not written or printed on;

Example: ‘blank pages’; ‘fill in the blank spaces’; ‘a clean page’; ‘wide white margins’;

(of coffee) having cream or milk added

dressed (or especially habited) in white;

Example: ‘white nuns’;

(of hair) having lost its color;

Example: ‘the white hairs of old age’;

ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion;

Example: ‘a face turned ashen’; ‘the invalid's blanched cheeks’; ‘tried to speak with bloodless lips’; ‘a face livid with shock’; ‘lips...livid with the hue of death’; ‘lips white with terror’; ‘a face white with rage’;

of summer nights in northern latitudes where the sun barely sets;

Example: ‘white nights’;

White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of fresh snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black.