Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FAIR, a. [Sax. fæger; Sw. fager; Dan. faver. If the sense is primarily to open, to clear, to separate, this word may belong to the root of Sw. fäja, Dan. fejer, D. veegen, G. fegen, to sweep, scour, furbish.]

1. Clear; free from spots; free from a dark hue; white; as, a fair skin; a fair complexion. Hence,
2. Beautiful; handsome; properly, having a handsome face. Thou art a fair woman to look upon. Gen. xii. Hence,
3. Pleasing to the eye; handsome or beautiful in general. Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches. Ezek. xxxi.
4. Clear; pure; free from feculence or extraneous matter; as, fair water.
5. Clear; not cloudy or overcast; as, fair weather; a fair sky.
6. Favorable; prosperous; blowing in a direction toward the place of destination; as, a fair wind at sea.
7. Open; direct, as a way or passage. You are in a fair way to promotion. Hence, likely to succeed. He stands as fair to succeed as any man.
8. Open to attack or access; unobstructed; as, a fair mark; a fair butt; fair in sight; in fair sight; a fair view.
9. Open; frank; honest; hence, equal; just; equitable. My friend is a fair man; his offer is fair; his propositions are fair and honorable.
10. Not effected by insidious or unlawful methods; not foul. He died a fair and natural death. Temple.
11. Frank; candid; not sophistical or insidious; as, a fair disputant.
12. Honest; honorable; mild; opposed to insidious and compulsory; as, to accomplish a thing by fair means.
13. Frank; civil; pleasing; not harsh. When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty. L'Estranage.
14. Equitable; just; merited. His doom is fair, That dust I am, and shall to dust return. Milton.
15. Liberal; not narrow; as, a fair livelihood. Carew.
16. Plain; legible; as, the letter is written in a fair hand.
17. Free from stain or blemish; unspotted; untarnished; as, a fair character or fame.