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Fair in Love and War
For many people, the word fair brings to mind the aphorism “all is fair in love and war.” We have been using some variation of this saying for quite some time, although, as with many such expressions, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when it began. As far back as 1578 John Lyly wrote “anye impietie may lawfully be committed in loue, which is lawlesse.” We do not see evidence of war juxtaposed with love until 1687, when Aphra Behn wrote “All Advantages are lawful in Love and War” in her play The Emperor of the Moon. By 1717 this had morphed into “All advantages are fair in love and war” in William Taverner’s play The Artful Husband. Finally, by 1789 we find the line used exactly as it is today in the novel The Relapse: “Tho’ this was a confounded lie, my friend, ‘all is fair in love and war’.”
Synonyms
Examples of fair in a Sentence
Zadie Smith, White Teeth, (2000) 2001
"I have a good relationship with both Eddie and David. I think they've been fair to me."
—Joni Mitchell, quoted in Rolling Stone, 30 May 1991
Everybody out, the Iraqis said, except CNN. Even CNN isn't sure why they made that decision. Perhaps it is because CNN alone is seen globally. What the Iraqis told us is that they had found our coverage since August to have been "fair."
—Peter Arnett, Washington Post, 25-31 Mar. 1991
That's a fair question, and it deserves an honest reply.
He is known as a very fair man.
I try to be fair to my children.
He claims that the competition wasn't fair.
It's not fair that she gets to leave early and I don't.
a fair and impartial jury
a bargain that is fair to everyone
“What a bad movie!” “Be fair! Parts of it are actually pretty funny.”
I can't say I liked the movie, but, to be fair, parts of it are pretty funny.
She did poorly on the test, but, to be fair, so did a lot of other people.
Noun (1)
At night the sparkling lights, hurdy-gurdy music of the merry-go-round, excited children, and screams of the riders on the roller coaster that races overhead recall the gaiety of a carnival midway at a county fair.
—Witold Rybczynski, Atlantic, May 1993
Back at the street fair, in the smoky heat among vendors of souvenirs and street food, a flock of kids dances around a boom box playing Lionel Richie.
—Barbara Kingsolver, New York Times Magazine, 12 Sept. 1993
"Do you like to go out? You know, party?" "Who doesn't?" "Well, the Ebony Fashion Fair is in three weeks. You want to go?"
—Terry McMillan, Waiting to Exhale, 1992
a dazzling array of sleek cabin cruisers at the annual boat fair
Adverb
we expect everyone on this basketball court to play fair
it fair takes your breath away when you find out what properties in London are going for
John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Aug. 2024
Catch up fast: Our readers selected this week's fair food challengers.
—Axios Des Moines, Axios, 9 Aug. 2024
Erin Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024
State fairs are a common summer appearance for governors, senators and other politicians, especially in the Midwest.
—Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2024
Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 23 July 2024
This year’s figure is slightly above the 277 galleries that took part in the marquee US fair last year; the 2022 edition also hosted 283 exhibitors.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2024
Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 22 July 2024
Entering Wednesday, left-handed hitters have faired significantly better than right-handers have against Mets southpaw Sean Manaea this season.
—James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for fair 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Fair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fair. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fair
1 of 3 adjective
fair
2 of 3 adverbfair
3 of 3 nounAdjective
Old English fæger "pleasing to the eye or mind"
Noun
Middle English feire "a gathering of buyers and sellers," from early French feire (same meaning), from Latin feria "weekday, fair," derived from earlier feriae (plural) "holidays"
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