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origin; origination; as, the authorship of a book or review, or of an act, or state of affairs.

Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation. There are professions, among the men, no more favorable to these studies than the common avocations of women. Richardson. In a few hours, above thirty thousand men left his standard, and returned to their ordinary avocations. Macaulay. An ir…

ily managed or effected; embarrassing. A long and awkward process. Macaulay. An awkward affair is one that has gone wrong, and is difficult to adjust. C. J. Smith.

Anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation. Fairfax.

Act of weighing mentally; comparison; estimate. A fair balance of the advantages on either side. Atterbury.

A glutinous pomatum for the fair.

A short sword or dagger, worn in the fifteenth century. [Written also baslard.] Fairholt.

or condition of being base; degradation; vileness. I once did hold it a baseness to write fair. Shak.

Fertile; fruitful; productive. [Obs.] A battel soil for grain, for pasture good. Fairfax.

A spacious hall or suite of rooms for the sale of goods, as at a fair.

o daub over; to besmear or soil with anything thick and dirty. Bedaub foul designs with a fair varnish. Barrow.

A recess in a room for a bed. Of the three bedrooms, two have fireplaces, and all are of fair size, with windows and bedsite well placed. Quart. Rev.

Same as Beild. Fairfax.

is also the pr. tense plural of Be. See 1st Bee. Assembled been a senate grave and stout. Fairfax.

uperior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady.

A woman excelling both in beauty and goodness; a fair maid. [Obs.] Spenser.

On the earth, as opposed to the heavens. The fairest child of Jove below. Prior.

and not to be mended." Milton. -- To get the best of, to gain an advantage over, whether fairly or unfairly. -- To make the best of. (a) To improve to the utmost; to use or dispose of to the greatest advantage. "Let there be freedom to carry their commodities where they can make the best of them." Bacon. (b) To reduc…

To wrap up; to cover. Fairfax.

ach bead by a prayer. [Obs.] -- To bid defiance to , to defy openly; to brave. -- To bid fair, to offer a good prospect; to make fair promise; to seem likely.