fairer
fairer — noun
- fairersingular
- fairersplural
1. an outdoor gathering where people sell goods from tables or stands, often with f
an outdoor gathering where people sell goods from tables or stands, often with food and entertainment for visitors
Iris rented a table at the weekend craft fair to sell her handmade jewellery.
at + [type] + fair
The Christmas fair filled the square with the smell of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.
Tanvi bought a woven basket at the village fair last Saturday morning.
Dozens of local bakers set up stalls at the food fair in the park.
文法句型
fair + for + noun
at + the + fair
fair + noun (as modifier)
用法筆記
Often used in compound nouns that specify the type of goods or occasion, e.g. craft fair, Christmas fair, book fair.
2. an outdoor event with machines to ride on, games to play, and prizes to win, oft
an outdoor event with machines to ride on, games to play, and prizes to win, often moving from town to town
The travelling fair arrived in town with a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round.
travelling fair
Lien won a large teddy bear by throwing rings over bottles at the fair.
at + the + fair
Children lined up for the bumper cars while their parents watched from nearby benches.
Selim spent all his pocket money on the rollercoaster and the candy-floss stand.
文法句型
fair + verb (comes to town)
at + the + fair
go to + the + fair
用法筆記
In American English this type of event is usually called a carnival or fair; in British English funfair or travelling fair are common.
常見錯誤
3. a large organised event where businesses from one field show and promote their p
a large organised event where businesses from one field show and promote their products or services to potential buyers
Publishers from thirty countries set up booths at the annual book fair.
annual [industry] fair
The design team prepared brochures to hand out at the electronics trade fair.
trade fair
Over two hundred companies registered for the international toy fair in March.
Manuela found a new supplier for her bakery at the food industry fair.
- exhibition
broader term; can be open to the public, while trade fairs are usually for industry professionals
- trade show
interchangeable with trade fair in business contexts
- exposition
more formal; often used for large-scale industry events
文法句型
fair + noun (as modifier)
at + the + [industry] + fair
用法筆記
Often combined with the name of the industry: book fair, job fair, tech fair, trade fair. These events are usually for professionals rather than the general public.
4. a rural gathering with competitions for livestock and displays of homegrown prod
a rural gathering with competitions for livestock and displays of homegrown produce, crafts, and farm equipment
The county fair awarded a blue ribbon to the best sheep and the largest pumpkin.
county fair
Stefan helped his uncle set up the pig pen before the agricultural fair opened.
agricultural fair
Families came from neighbouring towns to see the horse riding contest at the fair.
Zuri entered her homemade apple pie into the baking competition at the state fair.
- show
British term for a competitive agricultural exhibition
- agricultural show
more formal; common in British and Australian English
文法句型
county + fair
at + the + fair
用法筆記
Commonly called a county fair in the United States. These fairs typically feature livestock competitions, agricultural demonstrations, and community events.
5. an outdoor event organised by a school, church, or community group specifically
an outdoor event organised by a school, church, or community group specifically to raise money for a charitable cause, where donated goods, homemade food, and games are offered in exchange for donations
The school held a summer fair with a cake stall to fund new library books.
held + a + fair
Camille baked three dozen cookies for the church charity fair.
charity fair
Harper helped organise a community fair to raise money for the local playground.
The autumn fair collected enough donations to buy warm coats for homeless families.
文法句型
fair + for + [purpose]
at + the + fair
hold + a + fair
用法筆記
The purpose of the fair is usually stated in a compound or a for-phrase: charity fair, summer fair, fair for the library fund.
6. a chance for someone to explain their side of a situation or give their opinion
a chance for someone to explain their side of a situation or give their opinion before a decision is made, without others trying to influence what they say
Every student deserves a fair hearing before the school decides on disciplinary action.
collocation: 'deserve a fair hearing'
The manager promised the staff a fair hearing to discuss their concerns about the new schedule.
The union asked for a fair hearing before the company changed the work hours.
Haruto felt he never got a fair hearing from the review committee.
- due process
more formal and legal; focuses on correct procedure rather than just being heard
文法句型
give someone a fair hearing
get a fair hearing
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'give someone a fair hearing' or 'get a fair hearing'. The focus is on an unbiased opportunity to speak, not on the final outcome.
fairer — adjective
- fairerpositive
- fairerercomparative
- fairerestsuperlative
1. treating all people in the same way, without letting your own opinions or feelin
treating all people in the same way, without letting your own opinions or feelings affect how you act toward them
Wei believes a fairer system would give every student the same time to finish the test.
comparative: fairer + noun for more equitable system
Soraya asked her manager for a fairer distribution of weekend shifts among the team.
collocation: fairer distribution of [something]
Karim argued that a fairer grading policy would help students from different backgrounds succeed.
Nila felt the new voting method was fairer than the old one because every voice counted equally.
用法筆記
Often used when comparing two systems, rules, or practices. Subject is typically a person, organization, or abstract system.
常見錯誤
2. at a level that seems right and proper for a particular situation, or that someo
at a level that seems right and proper for a particular situation, or that someone can reasonably expect
Linh thought a fairer price for the used bicycle would be about forty dollars.
adjective before noun: fairer price
It seems only fair that employees who work extra hours receive additional pay.
pattern: it is only fair that + clause
Quinn offered what seemed like a fairer share of the profits to each partner.
Zola told the landlord that a fairer rent would match what other tenants in the building paid.
- reasonable
similar meaning; often interchangeable in everyday use
- justifiable
stronger; can be defended with good reasons
- appropriate
fitting for the situation, not necessarily about rightness
- unreasonable
not sensible or acceptable in a situation
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the construction 'it is (only) fair that...' or 'it is fair to...'. The comparative 'fairer' often pairs with nouns like 'price', 'deal', 'offer', 'share'.
常見錯誤
3. carried out in a way that follows the official rules of a sport, game, or contes
carried out in a way that follows the official rules of a sport, game, or contest, without cheating
Marco argued that the referee should ensure a fairer match by watching for fouls.
comparative: fairer match
The chess club introduced a new timer system to make competitions fairer for both players.
pattern: make + noun + fairer
Cole insisted that a fairer game would ban the use of performance-enhancing drugs entirely.
Ilan said the judges should enforce fairer scoring so that no contestant receives special treatment.
- lawful
broader, relating to law rather than game rules specifically
- legitimate
accepted as valid according to rules or standards
用法筆記
Commonly used when discussing whether a specific play or competition is within the rules. Not typically used in impersonal 'it is fair' patterns — 'the game was fair' rather than 'it was fair that...'.
4. the kind of treatment that someone honestly deserves based on what they have don
the kind of treatment that someone honestly deserves based on what they have done or what has happened to them
After the company made an error, Ignacio wanted a fairer outcome from the complaint process.
collocation: fairer outcome
The judge decided that a fairer sentence would consider the young man's difficult background.
collocation: fairer sentence
Sofia argued that her sick mother deserved a fairer hearing from the insurance company.
Pedro asked the school board for a fairer review of his son's special education needs.
Faisal believed the tenant deserved a fairer refund after the landlord failed to fix the leak.
- undeserved
not earned or merited
用法筆記
Closely related to sense 1 (JUST AND EQUITABLE) but narrower: this sense focuses on the specific outcome or treatment a person receives, not on a system-wide principle.
5. used to introduce a statement that most people would agree is honest and reasona
used to introduce a statement that most people would agree is honest and reasonable
It is fair to say the new software saved the team a great deal of time.
fixed phrase: it is fair to say + clause
I think it is fair to say nobody expected the school play to be that successful.
pattern: I think it is fair to say [that] + clause
Reema agreed it was fair to say the project had faced more problems than anyone predicted.
It is fair to say Eitan's cooking has improved a lot since he started taking lessons.
It is fairer to say the team lost because of poor preparation rather than bad luck.
用法筆記
This sense most commonly appears as the fixed phrase 'it is fair to say (that)...'. The comparative 'it is fairer to say (that)...' works when comparing two possible statements for their reasonableness, e.g. 'It is fairer to say the project faced delays than to call it a failure.'
常見錯誤
6. taking a wide view of all the various factors at play, making it possible to rea
taking a wide view of all the various factors at play, making it possible to reach a balanced opinion
All things considered, the school trip to the science museum was a fair success despite the rain.
parenthetical phrase: all things considered
Daniel admitted that, all things considered, the committee reached a fairer decision than his plan.
All things considered, the local hospital handled the emergency better than anyone expected.
Sumin said that, all things considered, the move to a smaller city was a fair trade-off.
用法筆記
Used as a parenthetical expression, typically at the start or end of a sentence, separated by commas. The comparative 'fairer' can appear within the main clause even when 'all things considered' is the introductory phrase.
7. used to tell someone that you accept what they have said and understand why they
used to tell someone that you accept what they have said and understand why they feel or act the way they do
"I don't feel like going out tonight because I'm exhausted." "Fair enough, let's just stay home."
fixed phrase as conversational response
Reuben said he'd rather pay extra for faster shipping, and fair enough — the package was urgent.
"I know I'm late, but the traffic was terrible." "Fair enough, come on in."
Ava does not want to share her dessert, and fair enough — she paid for it herself.
文法句型
used as a response
用法筆記
This is a fixed conversational phrase, not a literal use of 'fair'. It signals that you find the other person's reasoning reasonable.
常見錯誤
8. said to ask someone to behave according to what is reasonable, giving you the sa
said to ask someone to behave according to what is reasonable, giving you the same treatment they demand for themselves
Fair's fair — you ate the last slice of pizza, so I should get the next one.
fixed phrase appealing for equal treatment
Sade helped you paint the living room, so fair's fair — you should help her move the furniture.
Fair's fair — I drove all the way here, so you can drive us home.
Marco carried the heavy boxes upstairs, so fair's fair — you can carry the light ones.
- to be fair
softer, more of a concession than a demand for balance
文法句型
used as an appeal for fair treatment
用法筆記
Almost always used at the start of a sentence followed by a dash or comma, introducing the reason why the speaker deserves equal treatment.
常見錯誤
9. having pale skin that burns easily in strong sunlight, or hair that is light yel
having pale skin that burns easily in strong sunlight, or hair that is light yellow or light gold in colour
Ayana has fair skin that burns easily in the summer sun, so she always wears sunscreen.
collocation: 'fair skin'
The baby was born with a patch of fair hair that slowly turned darker over the years.
collocation: 'fair hair'
People with very fair complexions need to be especially careful about sun protection.
The toddler's fair hair looked almost white in the bright afternoon sunlight.
- dark
opposite for both skin and hair colour
用法筆記
Used only of people's natural colouring describing skin tone or hair colour. Not used for objects or animals. Can sound slightly old-fashioned when applied to women's beauty — modern usage focuses on the colour description.
常見錯誤
10. more than a little in size, amount, or distance — used to say something is quite
more than a little in size, amount, or distance — used to say something is quite big, though not extremely big
The team walked a fair distance before reaching the mountain cabin.
fair + distance — quantity before noun
Lakshmi spent a fair amount of time preparing her presentation for the conference.
The charity received a fair sum of money from the local community.
Tariro's vegetable garden covers a fair area behind the house.
A drive from Taipei to Kaohsiung takes a fair while by car.
- considerable
more formal; suggests a notably large amount
- sizeable
similar meaning, also before nouns
- good
informal; in phrases like 'a good distance' or 'a good amount'
- tiny
very small in size or amount
- negligible
too small to matter
文法句型
fair + noun (amount/distance/size/share)
用法筆記
Only used before a noun. Does not appear after verbs like 'be' or 'seem'.
常見錯誤
11. acceptable in standard but falling short of impressive quality — used about food
acceptable in standard but falling short of impressive quality — used about food, work, results, or skill that are just okay
The food at the new restaurant was fair, but the service was excellent.
be + fair — predicative use describing quality
Kenji's performance in the exam was fair — he passed but did not achieve top marks.
The students gave a fair performance in the school play last Friday.
Andrew's essay was fair, but the teacher told him to add more detail.
The hotel offered fair rooms at a price that seemed reasonable.
- excellent
very high quality
- outstanding
exceptionally good
文法句型
be + fair
seem + fair
look + fair
用法筆記
Often implies mild disappointment; the speaker had hoped for better. Commonly appears after 'be', 'seem', or 'look'.
常見錯誤
12. used for an idea, a prediction, or a possibility that is reasonably promising bu
used for an idea, a prediction, or a possibility that is reasonably promising but not outstanding or guaranteed
There is a fair chance that the afternoon flight will arrive on time.
fair chance — likelihood before noun
Ingrid had a fair idea of what the new job would involve before she applied.
Takeshi made a fair guess at how many jellybeans were in the glass jar.
Zayd has a fair chance of getting into the university he applied to.
Mizuki had a fair idea of how to solve the math problem.
- decent
very similar; slightly more informal
- reasonable
suggests the idea is based on good judgment
- promising
more positive; suggests a bright outlook
- likely
focuses on probability
文法句型
fair + chance/idea/guess
13. (of weather) pleasant, with clear skies and no rain, clouds, or strong wind
(of weather) pleasant, with clear skies and no rain, clouds, or strong wind
The weather was fair, so the children played outside all afternoon.
fair weather — describing fine conditions
After a week of storms, Sunday was a fair day for a bike ride along the coast.
The forecast promises fair skies for the outdoor wedding this Saturday.
Sari enjoyed the fair weather during a visit to the national park.
Farmers need several days of fair weather to bring in the wheat harvest.
文法句型
fair + weather/day/sky
be + fair
用法筆記
Often used in weather forecasts and travel contexts. Less common in everyday conversation than 'nice' or 'clear'.
常見錯誤
14. (of a woman) having an attractive and pleasing appearance — used especially in s
(of a woman) having an attractive and pleasing appearance — used especially in stories, poems, or formal descriptions
The old painting shows a fair maiden standing beside a stone fountain in a garden.
fair maiden — literary/old-fashioned use
At the festival, everyone agreed that Lucía was the fairest woman in the room.
The knight swore to protect the fair lady from all danger and harm.
Poets have written songs about fair maidens for hundreds of years.
The ballroom was filled with elegant guests and many fair women.
文法句型
fair + maiden/lady/woman
用法筆記
This sense sounds old-fashioned or poetic in modern English. In everyday conversation, 'beautiful', 'pretty', or 'attractive' are more natural. 'Fairest' is also used in fairy tales (e.g. Snow White's 'fairest of them all').
常見錯誤
fairer — adverb
1. in a way that treats people more equally, follows rules more honestly, or gives
in a way that treats people more equally, follows rules more honestly, or gives everyone the same chance compared with a different way of doing something.
Hassan said the new teacher graded fairer than the old one using a clear rubric.
comparative: fairer + than-clause comparing two methods
The revised rules treated all teams fairer because each side got equal time-outs.
adverb comparing two sets of rules
Nikhil believed the court would decide fairer if it heard both witnesses first.
The union said the company could distribute bonuses fairer by checking each worker's hours.
- more justly
more formal; used in legal or moral contexts
- more honestly
focuses on truthfulness rather than equal treatment
- more impartially
emphasizes lack of bias; formal register
- more unfairly
opposite meaning; treating people in a biased way
文法句型
fairer + than + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is the comparative form of the adverb fair. It compares two actions or situations, showing that one is done with greater fairness than the other. The superlative form is fairest.
常見錯誤
2. more than before; to a higher level or degree; used when talking about something
more than before; to a higher level or degree; used when talking about something that increases in size, intensity, or appeal.
The sky grew fairer as the afternoon sun broke through the clouds.
fairer and fairer — paired construction showing gradual increase
The farmers' hopes for a harvest looked fairer after each rain shower.
The garden bloomed fairer than in past years due to the mild winter.
The hilltop view grew fairer and fairer as the morning fog lifted.
- more
simpler and more common; works in most contexts
- to a greater extent
more formal; used in academic writing
- less
opposite in degree; simpler and more common
文法句型
fairer and fairer
grew fairer
用法筆記
This sense is less common than the MANNER sense (sense 1). It is often found in literary or descriptive writing, especially paired with and (fairer and fairer) to show a gradual increase. The base form is fairly (meaning 'quite' or 'to a considerable degree').
3. in a way that follows the rules and leaves no doubt about being honest and deser
in a way that follows the rules and leaves no doubt about being honest and deserved — especially when winning or achieving something
Beatriz won the chess tournament fair and square — she defeated every opponent by following the rules.
collocation: 'win fair and square'
The referee confirmed the goal was fair and square, with no foul play involved.
Mert beat me fair and square in the final race, and I congratulated him.
The election was won fair and square, and everyone accepted the result.
- legitimately
more formal; can be used in legal or official contexts
- by cheating
direct opposite — implies dishonesty
文法句型
win/lose/beat someone fair and square
用法筆記
Used adverbially after the verb it modifies (e.g. 'won fair and square', 'beat them fair and square'). Emphasises that there was no cheating or trickery.
4. used to describe a hit that lands squarely and forcefully right onto a specific
used to describe a hit that lands squarely and forcefully right onto a specific body area
The boxer caught his opponent fair and square on the chin with a straight right hand.
pattern: hit/catch + fair and square + on [body part]
During the baseball game, the pitcher hit the batter fair and square on the shoulder.
The tennis ball hit my leg fair and square during the warm-up.
Xiu caught the ball fair and square in the center of the glove.
文法句型
hit/catch someone fair and square on [body part]
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 10 (HONEST WIN): this sense focuses on physical impact landing precisely on a body part, not on the honesty of a competition.