DictionaryAI

fairing

SayFAIR-ingUS/ˈfɛɹɪŋ/UK/ˈfɛəɹɪŋ/

Pluralfairings

6 meanings of fairing

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A smooth cover added to a vehicle to cut wind drag and help it move faster.

    Like a smooth shell that lets the wind slide past instead of pushing against it.

    The motorcycle's fairing pushed the wind away from the rider's chest.

    Mechanics replaced the cracked fairing on the small plane's nose.

    Similarcowling, shroud

    Note
  2. 2
    verb
    Present participle and gerund of fair, for the action as it happens or as the name of the activity.

    He was fairing the wooden hull all afternoon.

    Fairing the panel makes it smooth and even.

    Note
  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A small, hard cookie made with ginger.

    Like a crunchy ginger cookie you might dip in your tea.

    Grandma always kept a tin of fairings ready for visitors.

    He dunked a fairing in his tea until it softened.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    nounarchaic
    A small gift or souvenir bought at a fair.

    Like a small gift you carry home from a trip.

    He brought her a ribbon and a little doll as fairings from the market.

    She told me she was on her way to the fair in Bolzano and assumed I was going there too. Should we meet there, I must buy her a fairing [translating Jahrmarkt].
    1962, JW Goethe, Italian JourneyHere, fairing means a gift bought at a fair.
    Note
  2. 5
    nounarchaic
    A gift, especially one given by a lover.

    Like a friendship bracelet given to show you care.

    He pressed a silver ring into her hand, a fairing to mark their courtship.

    She kept every fairing her sweetheart had ever given her.

    Note
  3. 6
    nounarchaicIrelandScotland
    What someone deserves, whether good or bad.

    Like getting exactly what you have coming after behaving badly.

    The cheat got his fairing when the whole village turned against him.

    Mock the helpless, and you shall have your fairing in time.

    Note

fairing is a form of fair

fair, verb: Of weather, to become clear and calm. Full entry

Forms
fairfairs he/she/itfairing -ing formfaired past tense, past participle
Spelling
fair → fairing: add -ing

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 3–6

From fair, meaning a market or community gathering. Food-related meanings come from the cakes and sweets sold at fairs.

Meanings 1–2

From fair, meaning to smooth or even out a surface.