▪ I. unˈfair, a.
[OE. unfæᵹer (f. un- un-1 7 + fæᵹer fair a.), = ON. {uacu}fagr (Norw. ufager), Goth. unfagrs.]
† 1. a. Not fair or beautiful; uncomely; disfigured; ugly. Obs.
| Beowulf 727 Him of eaᵹum stod liᵹᵹe ᵹelicost leoht unfæᵹer. c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xli. §4 Sio ᵹefrednes..ne mæᵹ ᵹefredan hwæðer he bið þe blæc þe hwit, ðe fæᵹer ðe unfæᵹer. 971 Blickl. Hom. 111 [Him] þincð his neawist laþlico & unfæᵹer. c 1050 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 530 Larbata, se unfæᵹera. a 1300 Cursor M. 22509 Þe sun þat es sa bright..It sal becum þan ful vnfair, Dune and blak sum ani hair. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1572 Þe froþe femed at his mouth vnfayre bi þe wykez. a 1400–50 Alexander 4864 Rochis & rogh stanes, rokkis vnfaire. c 1449 Pecock Repr. v. xii. 548 In oon maner of sumwhat foul or vnfair schap and in oon maner of poor and symple colour. a 1500 Ratis Raving i. 1722 Þis eild is wnfair of fassoun, And failȝes of perfectioun. 1648 Hexham ii, Onschoon, Vnfaire, or Vnbeautifull. |
† b. Wicked; evil, bad. Obs.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1801 He was corsed for his vnclannes,..Done doun of his dyngnete for dedez vnfayre. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 123 For wnfayr thingis may fall, perfay, Als weill to-morn as ȝhisterday. Ibid. xv. 123 Bot I trow falsat euirmar Sall haue vnfair and euill ending. |
2. Not fair or equitable; unjust: a. Of actions, conduct, etc.; spec. of (business) competition.
| 1713 Berkeley Hylas & Phil. ii. Wks. 1871 I. 319 This shifting, unfair method of yours. 1746 Wesley Princ. Methodist 5 If indeed it were so abridged as to alter the Sense, this would be unfair. 1798 S. & Ht. Lee Canterb. T. II. 98 This conclusion appeared so unfair,..that she burst into tears. 1854 E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 229 There was a very unfair Review in the Athenæum. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 185 Riding a well-bred powerful horse, which evidently made little of his somewhat unfair weight. 1891 Federal Reporter (U.S.) XLIV. 278 The relief sought is based on the charge that the denomination used is untrue, is calculated to deceive the public, and operates as an unfair and fraudulent competition against the business of the complainants. 1909 H. D. Nims Law Unfair Business Competition 2 Unfair competition..exists wherever unfair means are used in trade rivalry. 1931 Economist 17 Jan. 103/1 The only recommendation..is that which would require road hauliers to be licensed..with a view to eliminating unfair competition in the transport of goods by carriers who do not conform to decent standards of wages and hours. 1963 Observer 3 Nov. 33/1 ‘Unfair competition’ is competition you cannot meet, and ‘free enterprise’ a condition where the Government regulations ensure that you make money. 1983 Economist 5 Feb. 62/1 They deplore the unfair competition between law-abiding and tax-evading firms, and the loss to the State. |
b. Of persons, the mind, etc.
| 1724 Waterland Farther Vind. Christ's Div. ii. §15. 57 Sometimes they complain of me as very unfair to take an Advantage of an Opinion of theirs. 1736 Butler Anal. ii. vi. 315 Opportunity to an unfair mind of explaining away..that evidence. 1812 Scott Let. to Byron July in Lockhart, I do not know the motive would make me enter into controversy with a fair or an unfair literary critic. 1855 Tennyson Maud i. xiii, Who shall call me ungentle, unfair. |
c. spec. Not paying the usual rate of wages.
| 1886 Pall Mall G. 22 Oct. 10/2 To give their printing contract..to what was known in the trade as an ‘unfair house’. 1888 Jacobi Printers' Vocab., Unfair offices, this term is applied by society hands generally to those printing offices where the existing scale of prices is not recognized. |
3. Of the wind: Unfavourable.
| 1801 in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1845) IV. 299 If the wind proved fair..they should be sent up the harbour, but if unfair, no time would have been lost. 1802 Naval Chron. VIII. 433 The wind being unfair at S.W. |
4. Not fitting or corresponding exactly.
| 1869 E. J. Reed Shipbuild. xix. 415 That drifting unfair holes would be considered bad work. 1874 Thearle Naval Archit. 58 Great precautions are..necessary to prevent unfair seams in the subsequent operations of laying the deck. |
▪ II. † unˈfair, adv. Obs.
[un-1 11 b: cf. prec.]
In a rough, disorderly, or untidy manner.
| a 900 Genesis 2063 Gripon unfæᵹre under sceat werum scearpe garas. a 1400–50 Alexander 555 Cloudis clenely to-clefe, clatird vn-faire. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13891 With the remnond full rade he rixlit unfaire. c 1480 Henryson Test. Cres. 163 Atouir his belt his lyart lokkis lay Felterit vnfair. |
▪ III. unˈfair, v.
[un-2 6 a.]
trans. To deprive of fairness or beauty.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. v, Those howers..Will play the tirants to the very same, And that vnfaire which fairely doth excell. |