Fair vs. Acceptable

Fairadjective

Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.

‘Monday's child is fair of face.’; ‘There was once a knight who wooed a fair young maid.’;

Acceptableadjective

worthy, decent, sure of being accepted or received with at least moderate pleasure

‘We need to find an acceptable present for Jeff.’;

Fairadjective

Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.

‘one's fair name’; ‘After scratching out and replacing various words in the manuscript, he scribed a fair copy to send to the publisher.’;

Acceptableadjective

Barely worthy, less than excellent; passable.

‘The designs were acceptable, but they were nothing special either.’;

Fairadjective

Light in color, pale, particularly as regards skin tone but also referring to blond hair.

‘She had fair hair and blue eyes.’;

Acceptableadjective

Capable, worthy, or sure of being accepted or received with pleasure; pleasing to a receiver; gratifying; agreeable; welcome; as, an acceptable present, one acceptable to us.

Fairadjective

Just, equitable.

‘He must be given a fair trial.’;

Acceptableadjective

worthy of acceptance or satisfactory;

‘acceptable levels of radiation’; ‘performances varied from acceptable to excellent’;

Fairadjective

Adequate, reasonable, or decent.

‘The patient was in a fair condition after some treatment.’;

Acceptableadjective

judged to be in conformity with approved usage;

‘acceptable English usage’;

Fairadjective

Favorable to a ship's course.

Acceptableadjective

meeting requirements;

‘the step makes a satisfactory seat’;

Fairadjective

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.

‘a fair sky;’; ‘a fair day’;

Acceptableadjective

adequate for the purpose;

‘the water was acceptable for drinking’;

Fairadjective

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.

‘a fair mark;’; ‘in fair sight;’; ‘a fair view’;

Acceptableadjective

able to be agreed on; suitable

‘the electoral arrangements must be acceptable to the people’;

Fairadjective

(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.

Acceptableadjective

moderately good; satisfactory

‘an acceptable substitute for champagne’;

Fairadjective

(baseball) Between the baselines.

Acceptableadjective

pleasing; welcome

‘some coffee would be most acceptable’;

Fairnoun

Something which is fair (in various senses of the adjective).

‘When will we learn to distinguish between the fair and the foul?’;

Acceptableadjective

able to be tolerated or allowed

‘pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable level’;

Fairnoun

(obsolete) A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.

Fairnoun

(obsolete) Fairness, beauty.

Fairnoun

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

Fairnoun

(obsolete) Good fortune; good luck.

Fairnoun

A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.

Fairnoun

An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.

Fairnoun

An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.

Fairnoun

A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).

Fairverb

To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).

Fairverb

To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).

Fairverb

To construct or design a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline or reduce air drag or water resistance.

Fairverb

(obsolete) To make fair or beautiful.

Fairadverb

clearly, openly, frankly, civilly, honestly, favorably, auspiciously, agreeably

Fairadjective

Free from spots, specks, dirt, or imperfection; unblemished; clean; pure.

‘A fair white linen cloth.’;

Fairadjective

Pleasing to the eye; handsome; beautiful.

‘Who can not see many a fair French city, for one fair French made.’;

Fairadjective

Without a dark hue; light; clear; as, a fair skin.

‘The northern people large and fair-complexioned.’;

Fairadjective

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

‘You wish fair winds may waft him over.’;

Fairadjective

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.

‘The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged.’;

Fairadjective

Without sudden change of direction or curvature; smooth; flowing; - said of the figure of a vessel, and of surfaces, water lines, and other lines.

Fairadjective

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.

Fairadjective

Pleasing; favorable; inspiring hope and confidence; - said of words, promises, etc.

‘When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty.’;

Fairadjective

Distinct; legible; as, fair handwriting.

Fairadjective

Free from any marked characteristic; average; middling; as, a fair specimen.

‘The news is very fair and good, my lord.’;

Fairadverb

Clearly; openly; frankly; civilly; honestly; favorably; auspiciously; agreeably.

Fairnoun

Fairness, beauty.

Fairnoun

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

‘I have found out a gift for my fair.’;

Fairnoun

Good fortune; good luck.

‘Now fair befall thee !’;

Fairnoun

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.

Fairnoun

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

Fairnoun

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

Fairnoun

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.

‘Meet me in St. Louis, LouisMeet me at the fairDon't tell me the lights are shiningAnyplace but there.’;

Fairverb

To make fair or beautiful.

‘Fairing the foul.’;

Fairverb

To make smooth and flowing, as a vessel's lines.

Fairnoun

a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.

Fairnoun

gathering of producers to promote business;

‘world fair’; ‘trade fair’; ‘book fair’;

Fairnoun

a competitive exhibition of farm products;

‘she won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair’;

Fairnoun

a sale of miscellany; often for charity;

‘the church bazaar’;

Fairverb

join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

Fairadjective

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; or conforming with established standards or rules;

‘a fair referee’; ‘fair deal’; ‘on a fair footing’; ‘a fair fight’; ‘by fair means or foul’;

Fairadjective

showing lack of favoritism;

‘the cold neutrality of an impartial judge’;

Fairadjective

more than adequate in quality;

‘fair work’;

Fairadjective

not excessive or extreme;

‘a fairish income’; ‘reasonable prices’;

Fairadjective

visually appealing;

‘our fair city’;

Fairadjective

very pleasing to the eye;

‘my bonny lass’; ‘there's a bonny bay beyond’; ‘a comely face’; ‘young fair maidens’;

Fairadjective

(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines;

‘he hit a fair ball over the third base bag’;

Fairadjective

of no exceptional quality or ability;

‘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’;

Fairadjective

attractively feminine;

‘the fair sex’;

Fairadjective

(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections;

‘fair copy’; ‘a clean manuscript’;

Fairadjective

free of clouds or rain;

‘today will be fair and warm’;

Fairadjective

(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored;

‘a fair complexion’;

Fairadverb

in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating;

‘they played fairly’;

Fairadverb

in a fair evenhanded manner;

‘deal fairly with one another’;

Fairadjective

treating people equally without favouritism or discrimination

‘the group has achieved fair and equal representation for all its members’; ‘a fairer distribution of wealth’;

Fairadjective

just or appropriate in the circumstances

‘to be fair, this subject poses special problems’; ‘it's not fair to take it out on her’;

Fairadjective

(of a means or procedure) not violent

‘try first by fair means’;

Fairadjective

(of hair or complexion) light; blonde

‘a pretty girl with long fair hair’;

Fairadjective

(of a person) having a light complexion or hair

‘he's very fair with blue eyes’;

Fairadjective

considerable though not outstanding in size or amount

‘he did a fair bit of coaching’;

Fairadjective

moderately good

‘he believes he has a fair chance of success’;

Fairadjective

complete; utter

‘this cow is a fair swine’;

Fairadjective

(of weather) fine and dry

‘a fair autumn day’;

Fairadjective

(of the wind) favourable

‘they set sail with a fair wind’;

Fairadjective

beautiful

‘the fairest of her daughters’;

Fairadjective

(of words) specious despite being initially attractive

‘the Sophists have plenty of brave words and fair devices’;

Fairadverb

without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage

‘no one could say he played fair’;

Fairadverb

to a high degree

‘she'll be fair delighted to see you’;

Fairnoun

a beautiful woman

‘pursuing his fair in a solitary street’;

Fairnoun

a gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment

‘I won a goldfish at the fair’;

Fairnoun

a periodic gathering for the sale of goods.

Fairnoun

an exhibition to promote particular products

‘the European Fine Art Fair’;

Fairnoun

an annual competitive exhibition of livestock, agricultural products, etc., held by a town, county, or state.

Fairverb

(of the weather) become fine

‘looks like it's fairing off some’;

Fairverb

streamline (a vehicle, boat, or aircraft) by adding fairings

‘it is fully faired and race ready’;

Fair

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.