n. [ OE. afere, affere, OF. afaire, F. affaire, fr. a faire to do; L.. ad + facere to do. See Fact, and cf. Ado. ] 1. That which is done or is to be done; matter; concern; as, a difficult affair to manage; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public; -- often in the plural. “At the head of affairs.” Junius. “A talent for affairs.” Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely; as, an affair of honor, i. e., a duel; an affair of love, i. e., an intrigue. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mil.) An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Action; endeavor. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And with his best affair
Obeyed the pleasure of the Sun. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A material object (vaguely designated). [ 1913 Webster ]

A certain affair of fine red cloth much worn and faded. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Chargés d'affaires. [ F., “charged with affairs.” ] A diplomatic representative, or minister of an inferior grade, accredited by the government of one state to the minister of foreign affairs of another; also, a substitute, ad interim, for an ambassador or minister plenipotentiary. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To make fair or beautiful. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Fairing the foul. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Shipbuilding) To make smooth and flowing, as a vessel's lines. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Fairer superl. Fairest. ] [ OE. fair, fayer, fager, AS. fæger; akin to OS. & OHG. fagar, Icel. fagr, Sw. fager, Dan. faver, Goth. fagrs fit, also to E. fay, G. fügen, to fit. fegen to sweep, cleanse, and prob. also to E. fang, peace, pact, Cf. Fang, Fain, Fay to fit. ] 1. Free from spots, specks, dirt, or imperfection; unblemished; clean; pure. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fair white linen cloth. Book of Common Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who can not see many a fair French city, for one fair French made. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin. [ 1913 Webster ]

The northern people large and fair-complexioned. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; favorable; -- said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.; as, a fair sky; a fair day. [ 1913 Webster ]

You wish fair winds may waft him over. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (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. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. 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. “I would call it fair play.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Pleasing; favorable; inspiring hope and confidence; -- said of words, promises, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty. L' Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen. [ 1913 Webster ]

The news is very fair and good, my lord. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fair ball. (Baseball) (a) A ball passing over the home base at the height called for by the batsman, and delivered by the pitcher while wholly within the lines of his position and facing the batsman. (b) A batted ball that falls inside the foul lines; -- called also a fair hit. --
Fair maid. (Zool.) (a) The European pilchard (Clupea pilchardus) when dried. (b) The southern scup (Stenotomus Gardeni). [ Virginia ] --
Fair one, a handsome woman; a beauty, --
Fair play, equitable or impartial treatment; a fair or equal chance; justice. --
From fair to middling, passable; tolerable. [ Colloq. ] --
The fair sex, the female sex.

Syn. -- Candid; open; frank; ingenuous; clear; honest; equitable; impartial; reasonable. See Candid. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fair and square, justly; honestly; equitably; impartially. [ Colloq. ] --
To bid fair. See under Bid. --
To speak fair, to address with courtesy and frankness. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Fairness, beauty. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A fair woman; a sweetheart. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have found out a gift for my fair. Shenstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Good fortune; good luck. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now fair befall thee ! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fair, anything beautiful; women, collectively. “For slander's mark was ever yet the fair.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. feire, OF. feire, F. foire, fr. L. fariae, pl., days of rest, holidays, festivals, akin to festus festal. See Feast. ] 1. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A festival, and sale of fancy articles. erc., usually for some charitable object; as, a Grand Army fair; a church fair. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A competitive exhibition of wares, farm products, etc., not primarily for purposes of sale; as, the Mechanics' fair; an agricultural fair. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. 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. [ PJC ]

Meet me in St. Louis, Louis
Meet me at the fair
Don't tell me the lights are shining
Anyplace but there. Song (1904: words by Andrew B. Sterling, music by Kerry Mills, popularized by Billy Murray. Prominent in the movie "Meet Me In St. Louis", 1944) [ PJC ]

After the fair, Too late. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. justly; honestly; equitably; impartially. Opposite of unfairly. [ Colloq. ] [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adj. fair and honest; just. Opposite of unfair. [ Colloq. ]
Syn. -- honest. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

. (Football) A catch made by a player on side who makes a prescribed signal that he will not attempt to advance the ball when caught. He must not then be interfered with. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. an open area for holding fairs or exhibitions or circuses. Often used in plural. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. pl. same as fairground. [ PJC ]

a. 1. Having fair or light-colored hair. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. favorite; considered especially talented or promising; as, the fair-haired boy of the literary set. [ prenominal ] [ informal ]
Syn. -- blue-eyed(prenominal), white-haired(prenominal), white-headed. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. Fairness; beauty. [ Obs. ] Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In the manner of a fairy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Numerous as shadows haunting fairily
The brain. Keats. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A present; originally, one given or purchased at a fair. Gay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fairing box, a box receiving savings or small sums of money. Hannah More. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tolerably fair. [ Colloq. ] W. D. Howells. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A block, or ring, serving as a guide for the running rigging or for any rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a fair manner; clearly; openly; plainly; fully; distinctly; frankly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Even the nature of Mr. Dimmesdale's disease had never fairly been revealed to him. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Favorably; auspiciously; commodiously; as, a town fairly situated for foreign trade. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Honestly; properly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such means of comfort or even luxury, as lay fairly within their grasp. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Softly; quietly; gently. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Unprejudiced; just; judicial; honest. -- Fair"-mind`ed*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

a. Well-disposed. “A fair-natured prince.” Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being fair, or free form spots or stains, as of the skin; honesty, as of dealing; candor, as of an argument, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Using fair speech, or uttered with fairness; bland; civil; courteous; plausible. “A marvelous fair-spoken man.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The navigable part of a river, bay, etc., through which vessels enter or depart; the part of a harbor or channel ehich is kept open and unobstructed for the passage of vessels. Totten.

2. (golf) That part of a golf course between the tee and the green which is of closely mowed grass, as contrasted to the rough. [ PJC ]

a. 1. Made or done in pleasant weather, or in circumstances involving but little exposure or sacrifice; as, a fair-weather voyage. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Appearing only when times or circumstances are prosperous; as, a fair-weather friend. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fair-weather sailor, a make-believe or inexperienced sailor; -- the nautical equivalent of carpet knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. State of prosperity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They think it was never fair-world with them since. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Fairies [ OE. fairie, faierie, enchantment, fairy folk, fairy, OF. faerie enchantment, F. féer, fr. LL. Fata one of the goddesses of fate. See Fate, and cf. Fay a fairy. ] [ Written also faëry. ] 1. Enchantment; illusion. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The God of her has made an end,
And fro this worlde's fairy
Hath taken her into company. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The country of the fays; land of illusions. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He [ Arthur ] is a king y-crowned in Fairy. Lydgate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An imaginary supernatural being or spirit, supposed to assume a human form (usually diminutive), either male or female, and to meddle for good or evil in the affairs of mankind; a fay. See Elf, and Demon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fourth kind of spirit [ is ] called the Fairy. K. James. [ 1913 Webster ]

And now about the caldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An enchantress. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fairy of the mine, an imaginary being supposed to inhabit mines, etc. German folklore tells of two species; one fierce and malevolent, the other gentle, See Kobold. [ 1913 Webster ]

No goblin or swart fairy of the mine
Hath hurtful power over true virginity. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to fairies. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Given by fairies; as, fairy money. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fairy bird (Zool.), the Euoropean little tern (Sterna minuta); -- called also sea swallow, and hooded tern. --
Fairy bluebird. (Zool.) See under Bluebird. --
Fairy martin (Zool.), a European swallow (Hirrundo ariel) that builds flask-shaped nests of mud on overhanging cliffs. --
Fairy rings or
Fairy circles, the circles formed in grassy lawns by certain fungi (as Marasmius Oreades), formerly supposed to be caused by fairies in their midnight dances; also, the mushrooms themselves. Such circles may have diameters larger than three meters. --
Fairy shrimp (Zool.), a European fresh-water phyllopod crustacean (Chirocephalus diaphanus); -- so called from its delicate colors, transparency, and graceful motions. The name is sometimes applied to similar American species. --
Fairy stone (Paleon.), an echinite. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. The imaginary land or abode of fairies. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Resembling a fairy, or what is made or done be fairies; as, fairylike music. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a rare north temperate bog orchid (Calypso bulbosa) bearing a solitary white to pink flower marked with purple at the tip of an erect reddish stalk above one basal leaf.
Syn. -- calypso, Calypso bulbosa. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a story about magical or mythological creatures, such as fairies, elves, goblins, trolls, orcs, unicorns, wizards, dragons, etc., usually composed for the amusement of children; called also a fairy story. [ PJC ]

2. a false story intended to deceive or mislead, especially one involving unlikely events or situations; called also a fairy story. [ PJC ]

‖pos>n. [ F., let alone. ] Noninterference; -- an axiom of some political economists, deprecating interference of government by attempts to foster or regulate commerce, manufactures, etc., by bounty or by restriction; as, the doctrine of laissez faire; the laissez faire system of government. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person engaged in commercial or industrial business (especially an owner or executive).
Syn. -- businessman. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. pl. One's own affairs; one's private business. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. In plastering, a particularly good troweled surface. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + fair. ] To deprive of fairness or beauty. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. unfæger unlovely. See Un- not, and Fair, a. ] Not fair; not honest; not impartial; disingenuous; using or involving trick or artifice; dishonest; unjust; unequal. [ 1913 Webster ]

You come, like an unfair merchant, to charge me with being in your debt. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Un*fair"ly, adv. -- Un*fair"ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]