# fairing

Pronunciation: say "FAIR-ing" US /ˈfɛɹɪŋ/, UK /ˈfɛəɹɪŋ/

## Noun

1. A covering fitted to parts of a vehicle such as an aircraft, car, or motorcycle to smooth its exterior and reduce drag.
   - Simple: A smooth cover added to a vehicle to cut wind drag and help it move faster.
   - _Wind-tunnel tests showed that the new fairing trimmed drag at highway speeds._
   - _The team bolted a lightweight fairing over the exposed landing gear._
3. A small gingerbread cookie, similar to a hard ginger snap.
   - Simple: A small, hard cookie made with ginger.
   - _The bakery sold spiced fairings by the dozen during the holidays._
   - _She snapped a fairing in half and shared it with her brother._

## Verb

2. Present participle and gerund of fair. — present participle and gerund of fair
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of fair, for the action as it happens or as the name of the activity.
   - _The boatbuilder kept fairing the planks until the joints disappeared._
   - _Fairing a curved surface by hand takes a steady eye._

## Noun

4. Something bought at a fair as a present or as a memento of the visit. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A small gift or souvenir bought at a fair.
   - _Among the cart's clutter were beads and whistles, fairings for the village youngsters._
   - _She tucked the painted box away, a fairing from the autumn market._
5. A gift of any kind, especially a token given by one lover to another. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A gift, especially one given by a lover.
   - _The young man saved for months to buy a fairing worthy of his beloved._
   - _Tucked among the faded letters lay a fairing from her first love._
6. Something that is deserved; what one has coming, by way of reward or punishment. *(archaic, Ireland, Scotland)*
   - Simple: What someone deserves, whether good or bad.
   - _Let the tyrant receive his fairing at the hands of those he wronged._
   - _Honest labor brings its fairing soon enough, the old folk insisted._

## Origin

**Meanings 3–6** — From fair ("community gathering, market"). The sense referring to food arose because cakes and sweets were sold at fairs.
**Meanings 1–2** — From fair ("to smoothen or even a surface").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/fairing (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).