to be fair
to be fair — idiom
1. used when you want to show you are looking at both sides of a situation, often b
used when you want to show you are looking at both sides of a situation, often by adding a positive point after something negative has been said
The film was slow, but to be fair, the acting was excellent.
used mid-sentence to balance criticism with praise
To be fair to Sivan, she did warn us about the traffic.
pattern: to be fair to + person
Brian's presentation was messy; to be fair, he only had one day to prepare.
Xiu said the hotel was disappointing, but to be fair, the location was perfect.
To be fair, the restaurant was busy, so the slow service was understandable.
- to be honest
signals truthfulness or frankness rather than balance; 'to be fair' introduces a counterpoint after criticism
- in all fairness
slightly more formal; used in the same balancing contexts
- to give credit where it's due
more specific — acknowledges a person's contribution rather than broadly balancing a view
用法筆記
Often used after a critical or negative statement to introduce a counterbalancing positive point. Can be followed by 'to + person' when directing the fairness toward someone.