a.
1. Fit or suitable only for calm or fair weather.
1810. Naval Chron., XXIV. 69. From a supposition on the part of the truly gallant Captain (Jahleel Brenton) that these fair-weather birds would never put to sea, whilst menaced by two British frigates, he ordered the Success (being a junior ship) to part company.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 650. The first gale would send the whole of this fairweather armament to the bottom of the Channel.
1883. Manch. Exam., 26 Nov., 5/3. They are all fair-weather craft.
2. fig.
1736. Pope’s Lett., 1 Oct. 1730. My Fair-weather friends of the summer are going away for London.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand., iii. That there fair weather Jack (pointing to the young squire).
1828. E. Irving, Last Days, 287. Ah! what an eye-service, what a hand-service, and what a fair-weather service there is of God!
1873. Miss Broughton, Nancy, II. i. 10. Am I to be only a fair-weather wife to you, to go shares in all your pleasant things, and then,—when anything hard or disagreeable comes—to be left out?
