English

Alternative forms

• fair-handed

Adjective

fairhanded ‎(comparative more fairhanded, superlative most fairhanded)

1. Evenhanded, unbiased, just; treating all equally.
   • 1996, Group Practice Journal - Volume 45, page 22:

     A compensation program must be viewed by the participating physicians as being fairhanded in its distribution of the income produced.

   • 2006, Dennis L. Swibold, Copper Chorus: Mining, Politics, and the Montana Press, 1889-1959, ISBN 0972152288, page 337:

     C. Jay Parkinson, now chairman of Anaconda, politely registered his frustration to Lee's Adler, expressing his concern "about the fact that the papers are not always giving a balanced and fairhanded picture concerning ecological problems and their practical solutions, nor in the field of trying to improve the political and industrial climate to promote industrial enterprise."

2. (archaic or poetic) Beautiful and delicate.
   • 1830, William Hone, The Every-day Book and Table Book: Or, Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements, Volume 1:

     Fairhanded Spring unbosoms every grace, Throws out the snowdrop and the crocus first, The daisy, primrose, violet darkly blue.

   • 1855, Andrew Wynter, Odds and Ends from an Old Drawer, page 39:

     We landed at a flight of half-ruined steps, which, still in their decay, reminded one of many a scene of the past-of many a clocked silk stocking exposed as the stiff brocade was for a moment lifted by some fairhanded “quality” debarking from her gilded barge (with black page and poodle in attendance), beneath the gigantic poplar-trees which still throw their long shadows over the water.