different between free vs fair

English

Etymology

From Middle English free, fre, freo, from Old English fr?o (“free”), from Proto-West Germanic *fr?, from Proto-Germanic *frijaz (“beloved, not in bondage”), from Proto-Indo-European *priHós (“dear, beloved”), from *preyH- (“to love, please”). Related to friend. Cognate with West Frisian frij (“free”), Dutch vrij (“free”), Low German free (“free”), German frei (“free”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian fri (“free”), Sanskrit ????? (priyá).

Germanic and Celtic are the only Indo-European language branches in which the PIE word with the meaning of "dear, beloved" acquired the additional meaning of "free" in the sense of "not in bondage". This was an extension of the idea of "characteristic of those who are dear and beloved", in other words friends and tribe members (in contrast to unfree inhabitants from other tribes and prisoners of war, many of which were among the slaves – compare the Latin use of liberi to mean both "free persons" and "children of a family").

The verb comes from Middle English freen, freo?en, from Old English fr?on, fr?o?an (“to free; make free”), from Proto-West Germanic *frij?n, from Proto-Germanic *frij?n?, from Proto-Indo-European *preyH-.

Pronunciation

• enPR: fr?, IPA^(key): /f?i?/, [f??i?]
• Rhymes: -i?
• Homophone: three (with th-fronting)

Adjective

free (comparative freer, superlative freest)

1. (social) Unconstrained.
   • 1610-11?, Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, scene i:

     Quickly, spirit! / Thou shalt ere long be free.

   Synonyms: unconstrained, unfettered, unhindered

   Antonyms: constrained, restricted

   1. Not imprisoned or enslaved.

      Antonyms: bound, enslaved, imprisoned

   2. Unconstrained by timidity or distrust

      Synonyms: unreserved, frank, communicative
   3. Generous; liberal.

   4. (obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
   5. Without obligations.

   6. Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed.
   7. Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; said of a government, institutions, etc.

   8. (software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.

      Synonym: libre

      Antonym: proprietary

   9. (software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.
2. Obtainable without any payment.

   Synonyms: free of charge, gratis

   1. (by extension, chiefly advertising slang) complimentary

3. (abstract) Unconstrained.
   1. (mathematics) Unconstrained by relators.

   2. (mathematics, logic) Unconstrained by quantifiers.

      Antonym: bound

   3. (programming) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.

      Synonym: unbound

      Antonym: bound

   4. (linguistics) (of a morpheme) That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.
4. (physical) Unconstrained.
   1. Unobstructed, without blockages.

      Synonyms: clear, unobstructed

      Antonyms: blocked, obstructed

   2. Unattached or uncombined.

      Synonyms: loose, unfastened; see also Thesaurus:loose

   3. Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.

   4. (botany, mycology) Not attached; loose.
5. Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.

   Synonym: without

6. (dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.

7. (dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.
8. (Britain, law, obsolete) Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Burrill to this entry?)

9. (law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Burrill to this entry?)

Antonyms

• unfree

Hyponyms

• -free

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adverb

free (comparative more free, superlative most free)

1. Without needing to pay.

   Synonyms: for free, for nothing

2. (obsolete) Freely; willingly.

Translations

Verb

free (third-person singular simple present frees, present participle freeing, simple past and past participle freed)

1. (transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
2. (transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses.
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 564:

     Then I walked about, till I found on the further side, a great river of sweet water, running with a strong current; whereupon I called to mind the boat-raft I had made aforetime and said to myself, "Needs must I make another; haply I may free me from this strait. If I escape, I have my desire and I vow to Allah Almighty to forswear travel; and if I perish I shall be at peace and shall rest from toil and moil."

Derived terms

• befree

Synonyms

• befree
• emancipate
• let loose
• liberate
• manumit
• release
• unchain
• unfetter
• unshackle

Translations

Noun

free (plural frees)

1. (Australian rules football, Gaelic football) Abbreviation of free kick.
   • 2006, [1]:

     Whether deserved or not, the free gave Cresswell the chance to cover himself in glory with a shot on goal after the siren.

2. free transfer
3. (hurling) The usual means of restarting play after a foul is committed, where the non-offending team restarts from where the foul was committed.
4. (swimming) the freestyle stroke

Translations

References

Anagrams

• feer, fere, reef

Galician

Verb

free

1. first-person singular present subjunctive of frear
2. third-person singular present subjunctive of frear

Low German

Alternative forms

• frie (more common)

Etymology

From Middle Low German vrîe, variant of vrî, from Old Saxon fr?, from Proto-Germanic *frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *prey (“new”). Compare Dutch vrij, West Frisian frij, English free, German frei.

Adjective

free (comparative fre'er, superlative freest)

1. (rather rare) free

Declension

Derived terms

• Freeheit

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f??/, /f??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /f???/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /fe?(?)/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /f??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)
• Homophone: fare

Etymology 1

From Middle English fayr, feir, fager, from Old English fæ?er (“beautiful”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagr, from Proto-Germanic *fagraz (“suitable, fitting, nice”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh??- (“to fasten, place”).

Cognate with Scots fayr, fare (“fair”), Danish feir, faver, fager (“fair, pretty”), Norwegian fager (“fair, pretty”), Swedish fager (“fair, pretty”), Icelandic fagur (“beautiful, fair”), Umbrian pacer (“gracious, merciful, kind”), Slovak pekný (“good-looking, handsome, nice”). See also peace.

Adjective

fair (comparative fairer, superlative fairest)

1. (archaic or literary) Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.
   • 1460-1500, The Towneley Plays?

     He is so fair, without lease, he seems full well to sit on this.
2. Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.
   • 1605, The Booke of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, London: Robert Barker, “The order for the administration of the Lords Supper, or holy Communion,”^[1]

     The Table hauing at the Communion time a faire white linnen cloth vpon it, shall stand in the body of the Church, or in the Chancell, where Morning prayer and Euening prayer be appointed to be said.

   • 1665, Robert Hooke, Micrographia, London, Observation 21, “Of Moss, and several other small vegetative Substances,” p. 135,^[2]

     […] I have observ’d, that putting fair Water (whether Rain-water or Pump-water, or May-dew, or Snow-water, it was almost all one) I have often observ’d, I say, that this Water would, with a little standing, tarnish and cover all about the sides of the Glass that lay under water, with a lovely green […]

3. Light in color, pale, particularly with regard to skin tone but also referring to blond hair.
   • 1677, Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, Considered and Examined According to the Light of Nature, page 200

     the northern people large and fair-complexioned

   • This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking. In complexion fair, and with blue or gray eyes, he was tall as any Viking, as broad in the shoulder.

4. Just, equitable.

   • “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons?! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

6. Adequate, reasonable, or decent.

   Their performance has been only fair.
7. (nautical, of a wind) Favorable to a ship's course.
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 563:

     I shipped with them and becoming friends, we set forth on our venture, in health and safety; and sailed with a fair wind, till we came to a city called Madínat-al-Sín; […]

8. Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.
   • 1909, Frank R. Stockton, The adventures of Captain Horn Chapter 42

     They had good weather and tolerably fair winds, and before they entered the Straits of Magellan the captain had formulated a plan for the disposition of Garta.

9. Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.
   • c. 1610?, Walter Raleigh, A Discourse of War

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

10. (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.
11. (baseball) Between the baselines.
12. (rugby, of a catch) Taken direct from an opponent's foot, without the ball touching the ground or another player.
13. (cricket, of a ball delivered by the bowler) Not a no-ball.
14. (statistics) Of a coin or die, having equal chance of landing on any side, unbiased.

Synonyms

• (beautiful): beautiful, pretty, lovely
• (unblemished): pure, clean, neat
• (light in color): pale
• (just): honest, just, equitable

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

fair (plural fair)

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

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

2. (obsolete) A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.
   • 1744, Georg Friedrich Händel, Hercules, act 2, scene 8

     Love and Hymen, hand in hand, / Come, restore the nuptial band! / And sincere delights prepare / To crown the hero and the fair.

   • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, III.24:

     If single, probably his plighted Fair / Has in his absence wedded some rich miser  […].

3. (obsolete) Fairness, beauty.
4. A fair woman; a sweetheart.
   • 1743, William Shenstone, A Pastoral Ballad

     I have found out a gift for my fair.

5. (obsolete) Good fortune; good luck.
   • c. 1590–1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act V scene ii^[3]:

     Now, fair befall thee, good Petruchio!

Verb

fair (third-person singular simple present fairs, present participle fairing, simple past and past participle faired)

2. (transitive) To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).
3. (transitive) To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).
4. (transitive, art) To make an animation smooth, removing any jerkiness.
   • 1996, Computer Animation '96: June 3-4, 1996, Geneva, Switzerland (page 136)

     Since the sequence of data contain sampling noises, the captured motion is not smooth and wiggles along the moving path. There are well-known fairing algorithms in Euclidean space based on difference geometry.

5. (transitive) To construct or design with the aim of producing a smooth outline or reducing air drag or water resistance.
   • 1920, Technical Report of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (page 206)

     Two forward cars were provided with the model. One of these (shown detached in Fig. 1) was faired at its after end, with a view to possible reduction of head resistance, and to induce a better flow of air to the propeller.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To make fair or beautiful.

Synonyms

• (to reduce air drag or water resistance): to streamline

Derived terms

• fair off
• fair up
• fairing

Translations

Adverb

fair (comparative more fair or fairer, superlative most fair or fairest)

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

Derived terms

• bid fair
• fair and square

Etymology 2

From Middle English feyre, from Old French foire, from Latin f?riae.

Noun

fair (plural fairs)

1. A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.
2. An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.
3. An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.
4. A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).

Derived terms

• fairgrounds
• funfair

Translations

References

• fair at OneLook Dictionary Search
• fair in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• fair in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• RIFA, fiar, rifa-

German

Etymology

From English fair, from Old English fæ?er, from Proto-West Germanic *fagr, from Proto-Germanic *fagraz, whence also Middle High German vager (“splendid, wonderful”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f??r/, [f????], [fe???], [f???]
• Hyphenation: fair

Adjective

fair (comparative fairer, superlative am fairsten)

1. (especially sports) fair (just, honest, equitable, adequate)

Declension

Synonyms

• anständig
• ehrlich
• gerecht
• gleich
• ausgeglichen
• angemessen
• sauber

Antonyms

• unfair

Derived terms

• Fairness (rarely Fairheit)
• Fairplay
• Fair-Use-Doktrin

Further reading

• “fair” in Duden online
• “fair” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Hungarian

Etymology

From English fair.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?f?r], [?f??r]
• Hyphenation: fair
• Rhymes: -?r

Adjective

fair (comparative fairebb, superlative legfairebb)

1. fair (just, equitable)

   Synonyms: méltányos, tisztességes, becsületes, igazságos, korrekt, sportszer?

Declension

Derived terms

• fair play
• fairül

Further reading

• fair in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh: A magyar nyelv értelmez? szótára (’The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: ?ISBN

Irish

Etymology

See aire (“watching, attention”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [f?a??]

Verb

fair (present analytic faireann, future analytic fairfidh, verbal noun faire, past participle fairthe)

1. to watch

Conjugation

Mutation

References

• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911) , “fair”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Stirling, ?ISBN, page 160

Polish

Etymology

From English fair.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f?r/

Adjective

fair (not comparable)

1. fair (just, equitable)

   Synonym: uczciwy

Declension

Indeclinable.

Adverb

fair (not comparable)

1. fairly (in a fair manner)

   Synonym: uczciwie

Related terms

• (noun) fair play

Further reading

• fair in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
• fair in Polish dictionaries at PWN