Honest vs. Fair

Honest vs. Fair — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Honest and Fair

Honestadjective

(of a person or institution) Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.

We're the most honest people you will ever come across.

Fairadjective

Beautiful, of a pleasing appearance, with a pure and fresh quality.

Monday's child is fair of face.There was once a knight who wooed a fair young maid.

Honestadjective

(of a statement) True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

an honest account of events; honest reporting

Fairadjective

Unblemished (figuratively or literally); clean and pure; innocent.

one's fair nameAfter scratching out and replacing various words in the manuscript, he scribed a fair copy to send to the publisher.

Honestadjective

In good faith; without malice.

an honest mistake

Fairadjective

Light in color, pale, particularly as regards skin tone but also referring to blond hair.

She had fair hair and blue eyes.
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Honestadjective

(of a measurement device) Accurate.

an honest scale

Fairadjective

Just, equitable.

He must be given a fair trial.

Honestadjective

Authentic; full.

an honest day's work

Fairadjective

Adequate, reasonable, or decent.

The patient was in a fair condition after some treatment.

Honestadjective

Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

an honest dollar

Fairadjective

Favorable to a ship's course.

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Honestadjective

Open; frank.

an honest countenance

Fairadjective

Not overcast; cloudless; clear; pleasant; propitious; said of the sky, weather, or wind, etc.

a fair sky;a fair day

Honestadjective

(obsolete) Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.

Fairadjective

Free from obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unencumbered; open; direct; said of a road, passage, etc.

a fair mark;in fair sight;a fair view

Honestadjective

(obsolete) Chaste; faithful; virtuous.

Fairadjective

(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.

Honestverb

(obsolete) To adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.

Fairadjective

(baseball) Between the baselines.

Honestadverb

(colloquial) Honestly; really.

It wasn’t my fault, honest.

Fairnoun

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

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

Honestadjective

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent;

honest lawyershonest reportingan honest wagehonest weight

Fairnoun

(obsolete) A woman, a member of the ‘fair sex’; also as a collective singular, women.

Honestadjective

without dissimulation; frank;

my honest opinion

Fairnoun

(obsolete) Fairness, beauty.

Honestadjective

worthy of being depended on;

a dependable workeran honest working stiffa reliable source of informationhe was true to his wordI would be true for there are those who trust me

Fairnoun

A fair woman; a sweetheart.

Honestadjective

free from guile;

his answer was simple and honest

Fairnoun

(obsolete) Good fortune; good luck.

Honestadjective

without pretensions;

worked at an honest tradegood honest food

Fairnoun

A community gathering to celebrate and exhibit local achievements.

Honestadjective

habitually speaking the truth;

an honest mana veracious witness

Fairnoun

An event for public entertainment and trade, a market.

Honestadjective

marked by truth;

gave honest answers

Fairnoun

An event for professionals in a trade to learn of new products and do business, a trade fair.

Fairnoun

A travelling amusement park (called a funfair in British English and a (travelling) carnival in US English).

Fairverb

To smoothen or even a surface (especially a connection or junction on a surface).

Fairverb

To bring into perfect alignment (especially about rivet holes when connecting structural members).

Fairverb

To construct or design a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline or reduce air drag or water resistance.

Fairverb

(obsolete) To make fair or beautiful.

Fairadverb

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

Fairnoun

a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.

Fairnoun

gathering of producers to promote business;

world fairtrade fairbook fair

Fairnoun

a competitive exhibition of farm products;

she won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair

Fairnoun

a sale of miscellany; often for charity;

the church bazaar

Fairverb

join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

Fairadjective

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; or conforming with established standards or rules;

a fair refereefair dealon a fair footinga fair fightby fair means or foul

Fairadjective

showing lack of favoritism;

the cold neutrality of an impartial judge

Fairadjective

more than adequate in quality;

fair work

Fairadjective

not excessive or extreme;

a fairish incomereasonable prices

Fairadjective

visually appealing;

our fair city

Fairadjective

very pleasing to the eye;

my bonny lassthere's a bonny bay beyonda comely faceyoung fair maidens

Fairadjective

(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines;

he hit a fair ball over the third base bag

Fairadjective

of no exceptional quality or ability;

a novel of average meritonly a fair performance of the sonatain fair healththe caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above averagethe performance was middling at best

Fairadjective

attractively feminine;

the fair sex

Fairadjective

(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections;

fair copya clean manuscript

Fairadjective

free of clouds or rain;

today will be fair and warm

Fairadjective

(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored;

a fair complexion

Fairadverb

in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating;

they played fairly

Fairadverb

in a fair evenhanded manner;

deal fairly with one another