† 1. So as to make a fair appearance; beautifully, handsomely. Also in bad sense: Speciously. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxii. 242. Alle the hoost cometh fayrely aftre him.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5142. Þai … ferdon on fote fairly to-gedur.
1483. Cath. Angl., 120. Fayrly, ornate.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. ii. 84.
| Was euer booke containing such vile matter | |
| So fairely bound? |
1630. R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc., 131. Saint Germaines … was very fairely builded.
1819. Byron, Juan, III. lxxvi.
| The henna should be deeply dyed to make | |
| The skin relieved appear more fairly fair. |
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 47.
| But other raiment for delight they had | |
| Most fairly woven of some unknown thing. |
b. Of writing: Neatly, elegantly, arch.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. vi. 2.
| Scr. Here is the Indictment of the good Lord Hastings, | |
| Which in a set Hand fairely is engross’d. |
1717. Berkeley, Tour in Italy, Wks. IV. 514. The book is fairly writ on vellum: it is subscribed by the king’s own hand.
† 2. Courteously, respectfully. Obs.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 233.
| Then fairely I bespoke the Officer | |
| To go in person with me to my house. | |
| Ibid. (1608), Per., V. i. 10. I pray ye, greet them fairly. |
3. With due regard to equity; candidly, impartially; without undue advantage on either side.
1676. Dryden, Aureng-Zebe, III. i. I interpret fairly your design.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 272, 11 Jan., ¶ 1. Circumstances fairly represented in the Spectator.
1776. Trial of Nundocomar, 25/1. The Durbar charges were not just and fairly charged.
1783. Hailes, Antiq. Chr. Ch., iv. 72. The inferences that are fairly deducible from it.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 375. The counsel were by no means fairly matched.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, v. (1872). 47. In no corner of these islands were the Quakers treated fairly, and least of anywhere in county Cork.
1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. xiii. 260. Only in the light of that time can they be fairly considered.
4. Becomingly, fitly, properly, suitably; proportionably.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. i. 128.
| My cheefe care | |
| Is to come fairely off from the great debts. |
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., p. xx. The Ships sides being prepared (and the Bolt-heads and Braces parcelled or capt as they ought) to bring the sheathing on, they will sheath the same with their Lead and Nails.
1731. Arbuthnot, Aliments, IV. ii. § 24. 98. This nutritious Juice being a subtile Liquor, scarce obtainable from a Human Body, the Serum of the Blood is fairly substituted in its Place.
1800. Med. Jrnl., IV. 462. His time will be fairly, and I doubt not successfully employed.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Homes Abroad, v. 74. You may fairly marry as soon as you like.
1892. Sir A. Kekewich, in The Law Times Report, LXVII. 139/1. The facts … may be fairly described in that manner.
b. By proper or lawful means, legitimately; opposed to foully.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 145. I will kill thee fairly, as becomes a good Knight.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 38, 7 July, ¶ 3. They stripped, and, in decent Manner fought full fairly with their wrathful Hands.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. xi. 236. We came honestly and fairly by the ship.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, iii. 23. She came fairly by her death.
† 5. Gently, peaceably, quietly, softly. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xiv. 61. It standes still and rynnez noȝt, or elles bot fairely.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 40.
| Guyon … with strong reason master’d passion fraile, | |
| And passed fayrely forth. |
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. v. 14. They parted very fairely in iest.
1634. Milton, Comus, 168.
| But here she comes; I fairly step aside, | |
| And hearken, if I may, her business here. |
6. Clearly, distinctly, plainly.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 490. At last he [Walter Brute] escaped, not creeping out of the window by any cowardly compliance, but going forth at the door fairly set open for him by Divine Providence.
1671. Grew, The Anatomy of Plants, I. iii. § 11. The Pores of the Lignous Body in the Trunks of Herbs, which at first I only supposed, by the help of good Glasses, are very fairly visible.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, ii. [I] saw the bonny city lie stretched fairly before me.
1841. Miall, Nonconf., I. 2. It becomes dissenters fairly to avow it.
7. Completely, fully, quite, ‘clean’; actually, positively, really.
In written examples it is often difficult to know whether this or the very different sense 8 is intended; but in speech this confusion is prevented by the marked difference in intonation.
1596. Spenser, State Irel. (1633), 9. All which they neverthelesse fairely overcame.
1604. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 249. III. 216. He would wish him fairly buried before his eyes.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xx. 73. They fairly tore out one anothers throats with their teeth, for fear of the death they expected.
1713. The Guardian, No. 42, 29 April, ¶ 5. As he was in the third hour of his story, and very thankful that his memory did not fail him, I fairly nodded in the elbow chair.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., xx. I had some thoughts of fairly shipping back to England again.
1804–8. Foster, in Life & Corr. (1846), I. 267–8. I never think of fairly sitting down for a conversation.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Poor Relation. When he goeth away, you dismiss his chair into a corner … and feel fairly rid of two nuisances.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. vi. 500. The star of Harold was fairly in the ascendant.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., v. 306. Our system of class-lists has fairly run away with us.
1873. Tristram, Moab, iv. 64. We were fairly in the trap; there was nothing for it but to yield.
8. Moderately, passably, tolerably.
1805. Wordsw., The Waggoner, I. 110.
| Now I am fairly safe to-night— | |
| And with proud cause my heart is light. |
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. ix. 63. The structure of the ice was fairly developed.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1877), I. xiv. 218. He entered into English pursuits, and rode fairly to hounds.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 9. Such men’s meditations, when composed in the genial literary form proper to them, are naturally the delight of people with whom the world goes fairly well materially.
9. Comb., as fairly-balanced, -fitted.
1848. Dickens, Dombey (C. D. ed.), 8. In their matrimonial bickerings they were, upon the whole, a well-matched, fairly-balanced, give-and-take couple.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. IV. 115.
| Without delay he drew | |
| The arrow from the fairly-fitted belt. |
