Middle English Dictionary Entry
fair(e adv.
Entry Info
Forms | fair(e adv. Also faȝȝre, vair(e, etc. |
Etymology | OE fægre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of things seen or heard: (a) beautifully, splendidly, attractively, neatly; (b) brightly; (c) pleasantly, sweetly.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(OE) Vsp.A.Hom.Init.Creat.(Vsp A.22)219 : Þa wes þes tyendes hapes alder swiþe feir isceapen, swa þat heo was ȝehoten leoht berinde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24693 : Alle þa þeines, alle þa sweines, feire iscrudde.
- (a1333) Herebert What ys he (Add 46919)3 : What ys he..þat cometh..So vayre y-coyntised, so semlich in syht?
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)47 : Maydynes þet sseweþ ham uayre ydiȝt.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.273 : His bootes clasped faire and fetisly.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)424 : Amon..asselis it [Olympias' womb] him selfe semely & faire With a rede golde rynge.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)673 : Fayrer formed was neuer none In this world.
b
- c1225 Sanctus beda (Wor F.174)16 : Næs deorc heore liht, ac hit fæire glod.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1938 : Þe sunne schined faire.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1142 : Yet wol the fyr as faire lye and brenne.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1486 : Oþer louflych lyȝt þat lemed ful fayre.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)884 : In sounande notez a gentyl carpe, Ful fayre þe modez þay fonge in fere.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)671 : These briddes..songe her song as faire and wel As angels don espirituel.
2.
Of conduct or dealing with others: courteously, graciously; becomingly, properly, with propriety, duly; honorably, nobly.
Associated quotations
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)10/39 : Feire þu were imerked, Heie on þine heafde, [mid þ]en holie ele.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1215 : Haȝherrlike ledesst te & dafftelike & faȝȝre.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14061 : Hængest swiðe fæire [Otho: hendeliche] herede þane king.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)31021-2 : Nas Pendan þe king amarred nanes kunnes þing..fæire heo hine uedde and faire he eode to bedde.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)2251 : Þet te bodies neren ifatte i þe niht ant feire biburiet.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1061 : Loth hem serued faire and wel.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9165 : [King Henry] bured is þere vaire inou, as vel to an kinge.
- a1350 Prov.Hend.(Hrl 2253)122 : Ber þe feyre in al þyng..& be meke & mylde.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)82 : A theef and an hore, A serjaunt and a deie..Al so faire hii gon to bedde as housebonde and wif.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)122 : Þe kinges furst child was fostered fayre as it ouȝt.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1094 : He went euen to þemperour..knelyng on his kne, curteysli & faire.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)11.171 : Was neuer gome..Feirore vndurfonge, ne frendloker maad at ese, Þen I my-self.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4062 : Curteys she was..and bar hir self so faire.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)260 : Norses fele to him were souȝt; Þe Child was ȝemed faire and softe.
- a1400 Amis (Eg 2862)2400 : To-morrow shal þey beryed bee As þey faire ded ware.
- c1400(?a1300) *KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3313 : He..faire lokeþ my meyne, In chaumber, at boord, wiþ curteisie, Wiþouten vche vilenye.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)247 : To bern hym fayre In his apport and shewe hym debonayre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4337 : He brought hym to berynes on his best wise, As be-come for a kyng, closit hym faire With solempne sepulcre.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1695 : Þai frendly & faire, frely resayued him.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2750 : He..takis þam of his tresoure & twynnes with þaim faire.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)200 : Fayrere myghte þou batayll wage þan all daye thus to chide.
- a1500(?a1425) Ipom.(2) (Hrl 2252)258/60 : He taught hym..Hye and low feyre to serve.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)176/608 : Thou hast full fayre honoured mee.
3.
Of speech and address: (a) fluently, eloquently, elegantly; fair(e-spoken, -spekand, eloquent; (b) courteously, kindly, affably; (c) approvingly, flatteringly.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.124 : Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1509 : We..speke as renably and faire and wel As to the Phitonissa dide Samuel.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)15/3 : For he [Ambrose] was noted þorw-oute Itaile a fayr spoke man, and gretly roted in rethorik.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)81 : He was..sotille of witte, fayre-spokyn; but he spak but seldam.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)56/5 : It semes a kyng to haue fair faconde, and þat he be fair spekand.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)353 : Heo him ȝeuen gersume & feire hine gretten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30195 : He..bisohte hine uæire.
- c1275 Þene latemeste dai (Clg A.9)49-50 : Hwer beoð alle þine frond þat faire þe bihete, & feire þe igretten bi weies & bi strete?
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)370 : He so grette alle of his compers..so curteysliche & faire.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.600 : He..preide him faire that he wolde Arede what it tokne may.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3415 : Softe and faire, If eny thing stond in contraire, With humble speche it is redresced.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.222 : They were ful glad whan I spak to hem feyre, For god it woot I chidde hem spitously.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)71b/a : In a goode spouse..be..faire spekinge [L affabilis] & goodlich to here meyne.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.275 : Sir Richard..spak to þam lufly..so fair spak & so suete.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1339 : But ay the more Tydeus spak faire, Polymyte was froward and contrayre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2208 : Ector hym answarede esely and faire.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)52/31 : Speke ye fayre to hir, that she may gyff you that swerde.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)53/11 : To faire speke to hem of gretys, to restreyne þe tonge.
c
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)53 : Þis faȝe folc..speket alse feire bi-foren heore euencristene.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1486 : Feire uleð þi muð..Ah ich drede þet tis dream me dreie toward deaðe.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)321 : Mani mon wenit..frend þat he habbe þer mon him faire [vr. vayre] bihait, seiet him faire [vr. vayre] bi-foren, fokel at-hinden.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)60 : So faire þe cherl glosed þat þe child com of þe caue.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.644 : The synne of double tonge, swiche as speken faire byforn folk and wikkedly bihynde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2297 : Pardee, as faire as ye his [Solomon's] name emplastre, He was a lechour and an ydolastre.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28424 : Glosed i haue and spoken fayre O men.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)668 : To speke fayre be-forn & fowle behynde.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)88/33 : He was so flateryng and so fair spoken that he putt Herland oute of his office.
4.
Of actions: equitably, justly, fairly; by fair means.
Associated quotations
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)224 : Al was youen, faire and wel.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)325 : Alle þi frendes fordedes faire schalstow quite.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2659 : I wol be trewe iuge and nat partie. Arcite..shal haue Emelye, That by his fortune hath hir faire ywonne.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)294 : A wyȝe..Ful redy and ful ryȝtwys, and rewled hym fayre.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.372 : Ich wol feffe hym with hure fayre.
5.
(a) Of fortune or chance: auspiciously, favorably, happily, safely; faire and wel; faire befalle you, good luck to you; falle it foule or faire, whatever may happen; (b) in phrase ~ set, of weather: likely to remain clement [cp. OED 'fair-set' adj. (s.v. fair adv.) and 'set fair' phrase (s.v. set adj.1, 6.(c))].
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1154 : [He nu is] abbot & fa[ire] haued begunnon.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)1367 : O, leoue iferen, feire is us ifallen.
- c1225 St.Juliana (Roy 17.A.27)58/509 : Ferden alle martirs feire [vr. wið murhðe] to criste.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)467 : Feire fareþ þis ȝunge men..Into Egipte lond.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3743 : By goddes corpus, this gooth faire and wel.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4226 : And nyste wher she was, for it was dark; But faire and wel she creep in to the clerk.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)27 : Þe haþel clene of his hert hapnez ful fayre, For he schal loke on oure Lorde wyth a bone chere.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1022 : That the byfallynge of thynges wiste byforen..Be necessarie..al falle it foule or faire.
- a1475 Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)369 : Now fayre befalle yow, fadur, & welle must ye cheve.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)1017 : Ihesu..for þi gret grace, Bryng me fayre out of þis place!
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)3 : The goode man toke an oþer wif and faire endid his liffe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)30/255 : It fayres full fayre, thynk me, this wark to my hend.
b
- (1478) Let.Cely (PRO S.C.1 59/35)p.36 (39/26) : They wovld in no wysse that Rychard Cely schuld take pasage but at a morow tyd and a feyer set wedere.
6.
Of actions: (a) gently, carefully, slowly; (b) with moderation, moderately.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Body & S.(1) (Bod 343)25 : Al bið ðes faxes feirnes forsceden; Næle hit nan mit fingres feire stracien.
- a1350 Prov.Hend.(Hrl 2253)125 : When þe coppe is follest, þenne ber hire feyrest, Quoþ Hendyng.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1899 : Mildeliche þanne þe flagetes [of wine] hem bi-for faire doun he settes.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)8/24 : He stey up in-to þe eyr, not rygth hastyli & qwykly, but fayr & esly.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)71 : If thei [arms] ben hevy, go faire, For softe men fer goth.
- a1500 How GMan(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)151 : Softe and feyre, men make tame Harte, bukk, and wylde roo.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)58/8 : Do hit [the bandage] away fayre, þat þe wonde blede noȝt.
b
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.347 : How don this folk that seen hire loves wedded?..God woot, they take it wisly, faire, and softe.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)71 : Leche it faire, but not to thyn.
- c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)82 : Roste hem faire.
7.
Of degree, amount, or quality: (a) adequately, well enough, in good condition; faire enough; (b) fully, completely, very much; wel faire, ful ~, fair and wel; fair and clen; (c) plainly, clearly.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)141 : He sey a ffyger by þe weye yleueod ffayre ynow, Ak he ne ffond no ffrut þer-on.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)930 : Þo hauede hauelok fayre geten.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5443 : Hii auenge him vayre ynou.
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)1346 : Þe barouns hem bi þouȝt To fel tristremes pride Hou þai fairest mouȝt.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)366 : Alle oþer frely felawes þat þou faire knowes.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4386 : In the toune was ther no prentys That fairer koude caste a paire of dys Than Perkyn koude.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)9/36 : Þe ale was as fayr standyng vndyr berm as any man mygth se.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2393 : Iosep wel faire him vnder-stod.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)202 : He shal ben to-parted so faire as he wole bidde from his wif.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.539 : His tithes payde he ful faire and wel, Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)275/25 : He let hym arme feir and weele, ffrom þe Croune to þe heele.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)88 : So frech flauorez of frytez were, As fode hit con me fayre refete.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)41.118 : As Often as that Arest hauen ȝe ben, he hath ȝow deliuered bothe faire & Clen.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)407/218 : Full faire vs longis his corse to see.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)13/2 : Take an old cok..and drawe hym fayre and fille hym ful of virgine wex.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)47/10 : With an helyng oynement, hele þe wounde wel and fayre.
- ?a1500 Henslow Recipes (Henslow)58/11 : Hele hym fayre and clene with oyne[me]nt sanatyf.
c
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)9.24 : Hou seuen siþes þe sadde mon sungeþ in a day..I schal þe feire schewe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)14b/b : Denys..seiþ wel feire in þis manere.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1897 : Þare has þou..faire affirmed vs before þat sall fall eftir.
8.
Exactly, precisely; right (on one's feet), right (there, then, across, etc.).
Associated quotations
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)10/30 : Ic was ilered of mine leoue fæder Feire on frumþe.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1913 : Faire on þer tvo fet þei ferde vp-on niȝtes, but whan it drow to þe dai þei ferde as bestes.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.984 : He cam to Thebes and alighte Faire in a feeld ther as he thoghte to fighte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4457 : Faire in the sond to bathe hire myrily Lith Pertelote..Agayn the sonne.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)316 : Þre hundred of cupydez þou holde to þe lenþe, Of fyfty fayre overþwert forme þe brede.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2229 : Fayre on his fote he foundez on þe erþe.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1050 : In a strete He sette me fair on my fete And seyde, 'Walke forth a pas.'