Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus./N.Z., also fair lizard) a general negative, applied to persons or animals to which the speaker takes great exception, e.g. he’s a fair cow.

1898		Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) 23 Dec. 3/7: Did Howson know Bernstyn? No! No good, anyway; no-good. Drunk most of his — time. And a ‘fair cow’.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 8 Dec. 7/2: ‘I once ’as a ’oss,’ said McBride, ‘an’ she was a bay mare an’ a fair cow, an’ no mistake.’.
1906		Gadfly (Adelaide) 14 Mar. 9/1: ‘Well, the agent cove didn’t like it. My! He didn’t spring off her neck a bit! But the filly chucked him. He was a fair lizard.’ / He paused, evidently expecting me to query the ‘lizard,’ but I let it pass and he went on. / ‘So he was – a fair cow.’.
1915		C.E.W. Bean Anzac Book 31/2: ‘Blime, there’s old “Beachy” at it again,’ breaks in another. ‘’Ee’s a fair cow, ’e is. Made me spill two buckets er water this mornin’, and our flamin’ cook told me I was too lazy to go down for it.’.
1926		J. Doone Timely Tips For New Australians 22: TO BE A ‘FAIR COW.’—To be excessively disagreeable.
1935		Southern Cross (Adelaide) 24 May. 11/2: You reckon slang’s the fair cow; well we reckon it’s fair dinkum. Dicken we don’t!
1938		West. Australian (Perth) 8 Oct. 10/4: Australian slang words [...] A Fair Cow: An utterly obnoxious person, place, thing or circumstance.
1943		Baker ‘Influence of Amer. Sl. on Aus.’ in AS XVIII:4 255: An Australian may tell you a tough sergeant is a fair cow.
1950		(con. 1936–46) K.S. Prichard Winged Seeds (1984) 230: The manageress, Miss Sheepshanks, is a fair cow.
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 69: [She] was all right when she was drunk and a fair cow other times.
1978		J. Dingwall Sun. Too Far Away 41: If he can’t cook, he’s going to be a fair cow to get rid of.

2. (Aus./N.Z.) as sense 1 applied to inanimate objects, e.g. fair cow of a day; often in phr. it’s a fair cow.

1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 8 Dec. 7/2: When I starts ’ome ag’in I ’ad a fair cow of a time. I was tired an’ couldn’t cuss more’n a hundred yards.
1924		(con. WWI) A.G. Pretty Gloss. of Sl. [...] in the A.I.F. 1921–1924 (rev. t/s) n.p.: cow. The vilest of invective; to refer to anything as a ‘fair cow’ was the worst that could be said of it.
1926		Truth (Brisbane) 19 Sept. 12: [headline] On The Horns of a Dilemma / Keeper of the Pound at Wynnum Finds Himself Face to Face. / ‘Fair Cow’ of a Problem.
1943		Baker ‘Influence of Amer. Sl. on Aus.’ in AS XVIII:4 255: It’s also a fair cow when the babbling brook (cook) makes a crook (bad) stew.
1950		‘Neville Shute’ Town Like Alice 172: It’s a fair cow up there [...] It’s got an air-strip, anyway. I don’t suppose it’s got much else.
1953		I. Hamilton Till Human Voices Wake Us 39: The third quarry was a fair cow [...] at the bottom of a great gorge.
1968		S. Gore Holy Smoke 88: Some of them dark sayings was a fair cow.
1971		N. Armfelt Catching Up 110: She’s a fair cow of a day.
1980		H. Lunn Behind Banana Curtain 45: [ch. title] A Fair Cow of a Turnout.
1999		G. Seal Lingo 12: Terms such as stoush, fair cow, bonzer and offsider were listed, each with four possible meanings. fair cow [...] had the following meanings; a pin-up girl, something very disagreeable, butterfat, or something valuable.
2003		C. McCullough Touch 76: This is a fair cow of a place.

3. (Aus.) an enthusiast.

1927

Smith’s Wkly (Sydney) 20 Aug. 11/2: Slanguage [...] Cross out the incorrect: word or phrase in the following sentences: [...] ‘Solomon was ’ot stuff (a doer) with the tabbies (tarts) and a fair cow (a whale) on the shicker (’ops)’.

4. excl. use of senses 1 & 2.

1934

Gippsland Times (Vic.) 26 Apr. 7/7: Fair South? Fair Cow! I’ve got the bloomin’ ’ump.

5. (N.Z.) a call for fair treatment.

1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 44/1: fair cow another variation on the egalitarian thirst for reasonable treatment; eg ‘Fair cow, sir, I’ve swabbed down the boats twice and Jimmy hasn’t even done it once.’.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].

(Aus.) an unreasonable person.

1954

T.A.G. Hungerford Sowers of the Wind 8: Yeah, he’s a fair cuss, too. [...] I’ve bucked some hard ones in my time, and I guess I’ll buck him, too.

see fair dinkum adj.

see separate entries.

see separate entries.

1. (Aus./N.Z.) something or someone inexpressibly tedious or baffling.

1894		Corowa Free Press (NSW) 16 Nov. 2/2: [advert] Wanted to Buy — Complete Second Hand Cricketer’s Outfit [...] Apply by letter. ‘Fair Nark’ c/o Corowa P.O.
1898		Truth (Sydney) 18 Sept. 4/2: [advert] Fitz's rivals — the big-profit men — call Fitz ‘a fair nark’ whatever that may be — probably another name for public benefactor.
1905		Truth (Perth) 15 July 1/8: The accompanist was a fair nark. He had evidently acquired the ethics of his profession by banging a drum or extracting musical rhythm from a kerosine tin.
1912		Sun. Times (Perth) 21 Jan. 13/3: There's one bloke comes down here who’s a fair nark. We don’t understand his language too well, him being a ‘pommy,’ but he lets us know what he means all right.
1921		Shepparton Advertiser (Vic.) 24 Nov. 6/5: Fair narks they are, just like them back street clicks.
1942		Meet N.Z. ‘How We Talk’ 🌐 FAIR NARK: a very unpleasant person.
1952		Argus (Melbourne) 27 Aug. 2/7: [W]e could readily return the compliment by having American kids annoy their parents with cries of, ‘Oh, bonza!’ ‘Fair crack o’ the whip!’ and ‘Dinkum, you’re a fair nark!’.

2. (Aus.) an unpleasant experience, a disappointment.

1907

World’s News (Sydney) 9 Mar. 14/3: The favorite you drew in the sweep jilted you by straggling in third, which is fair banker; but as the sweep didn’t fill, you only got threepence on your shilling, which is bulldog ants’ bed, alias shermozzle, alias fair nark.

something or someone highly enjoyable or satisfactory; also used ironically to describe something or someone quite the opposite.

1899		C. Rook Hooligan Nights 62: Fair ole treat, wasn’t it?
1918		‘Sapper’ Human Touch 60: Lumme! Ain’t it a fair treat? ’Idden treasure ain’t in it!

(Aus./N.Z.) to a great extent; also exceedingly well.

1901		Wkly Times (Melbourne) 6 Apr. 3/5: ‘Can you manage the boat well enough to come across safely?’ I said [...] ‘She just can manage it a fair treat, I can tell you, sir,’ put in Nat.
1911		L. Stone Jonah 243: I ’eard a bloke at the ‘Tiv.’ play a fair treat.
1920		Sydney Mail (NSW) 14 Jan. 32/1: ‘Ain’t it a real cold morning? The frorst's got me fingers a fair treat’.
1933		Examiner (Launceston, Tas.) 28 Nov. 9/5: ‘He was sitting in your chair not a month ago with his mustash waxed a fair treat’.
1946		P.L. Soljak N.Z. 115: Colloquialisms common to New Zealand and Australian English [...] fair treat: exceedingly; e.g. he went crook a fair treat: he became very angry.
1971		N. Armfelt Catching Up 200: This husky great Hori started tumbling me about a fair treat.

see separate entry.

(orig. US) an honest transaction, a fair bargain.

1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 12 Dec. 21/4: You know, Jack, English is too new for Mick; it isn’t a fair deal to the old boy to ask him to try and understand it.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 18: Ronnie dealt for a living, but not big ones and he gave a fair deal, no shit, no aspirin and no OD.

an absolute imitation.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

(UK/US gang) a (street gang) fight conducted under some sort of mutually recognized rules and poss. preceded by a verbal argument.

1953		Ames Dly Trib. (IO) 21 Nov. 4/3: When mediation doesn’t work, youth workers try to set up what the gangs call a ‘fair one.’ In a fair one each gang picks a representative to tangle with each other and uphold the honor of all.
1959		E. De Roo Go, Man, Go! 100: He ducked, kept his palms up, stepped forward and challenged. ‘Fair one?’.
1960		in J. Patrick Glasgow Gang Observed (1973) 123: The term amongst the New York gangs is apparently ‘a fair one’ defined as a ‘fight between one or more members of a gang in which weapons are not involved’ (New York City Youth Board).
1962		(con. 1953–7) L. Yablonsky Violent Gang (1967) 64: Guys sometimes say when they’re gonna rumble, that they’ll give you a fair one; that’s when one guy from one team will meet another guy from another [...] nobody else is supposed to butt in.
1979		H.C. Collins Street Gangs 221: A Fair One A fair fight between gangs or gang members, fought in accordance with prevailing rules.
2014		E. McNamara ‘Redline’ in ThugLit Jan. [ebook] ‘Yo beanpole, you and me, let’s do a fair one. One on one, no bullshit’.

a trustworthy, honest person.

1953

‘William Lee’ Junkie (1966) 113: The deal I had made with that fair-play artist, the fat captain.

a good opportunity, a fair chance.

1959

G. Slatter Gun in My Hand 196: It’s not a fair pop. I think it’s beyond a joke.

see separate entries.

see trade, the n. (1)

(N.Z.) an appeal for equable treatment.

1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 44/2: fair suck of the sav/saveloy/sauce stick/fair whack are some more appeals for fairness.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].

see separate entries.

a general statement of agreement, acceptance; occas. as n., decent treatment.

1858		‘A. Pendragon’ Queen of the South 103: When excitement led the players to forgetfulness of the pannikin [he would] remind them that ‘fair dues was fair dues,’ and not to bilk Joe.
1862		C.C. Robinson Dial. Leeds 282: ‘A shabby dew’, says a man who has had twopence given him for getting a waggon-load of coals in. ‘A fairish dew’, says another who has got a shilling and a lot of victuals away with him for the same.
1874		‘Old Calabar’ Won in a Canter I 213: I hooked it with him. You receives and sells. Fair does. Thirty [pounds] for you and thirty for me.
1885		D.C. Murray Rainbow Gold III 133: I’ll pay you back again, fair doos.
1891		F.W. Carew Autobiog. of a Gipsey 195: Thee sh’lt keep her, but I’ll take t’ eggs. Fair does, ye know, fair does.
1901		W.S. Walker In the Blood 114: No fear, Cocky. Fair does is fair does.
1906		Gadfly (Adelaide) 28 Mar. 9/3: But these ’ere up-country beaks ain’t got no bloomin’ sense uv fair do’s.
1907		P. Fitzpatrick Jock of the Bushveld 16: There was a kindliness and quick instinct of ‘fair doos’ which tempered the wind.
1916		C.J. Dennis ‘Rabbits’ Moods of Ginger Mick 92: ‘Fair doos,’ ’e sez, ‘I joined the bloomin’ ranks / To git away frum rabbits.’.
1927		Smith’s Wkly (Sydney) 20 Aug. 11/2: Eventually the model ‘S.M. Herald’ leader will read like this [...] Put it all over Dud the Chair ’e did, fair the doos.
1930		(con. 1914–18) Brophy & Partridge Songs and Sl. of the British Soldier.
1936		West. Australian (Perth) 6 June n.p.: Fair doos [sic], it aint a bloomin` joke.
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 205: Fair do’s all round.
1951		A. Garve Murder in Moscow (1994) 15: There’s no ‘nobs’ there; it’s fair do’s for everybody.
1966		C. Wood Fill the Stage With Happy Hours (1967) Act IV: Fair do’s – you’ve done a lot for this theatre.
1974		G.F. Newman You Flash Bastard 60: Well, fair-dos, Mr Sneed, fair-dos, that’s what I say. You can’t work with someone for a long time then just get fucked-off out, just like that.
1983		A. Payne ‘Willesden Suite’ Minder [TV script] 12: Fair do’s, Father, moderation in all things.
1999		Guardian Media 21 June 10: The mix is hard to get right. But, fair dos.
2000		Guardian 20 Jan. 22: Fair dos, Frank.
2005		H. Mantel Beyond Black 322: ‘Fair dos,’ Gavin said.
2020		G. Armstrong Young Team 39: ‘He wis hettin weird.’ ‘Fair dos . . . looked like a bam’.
2022		in D. Andrew Aussie Sl.

(Irish) good luck (to).

1988		R. Doyle Commitments 64: You could’ve tried to click with her yourself. But yeh didn’t. An’ Joey did. So fair fucks to him.
1999		D. Healy Sudden Times 198: The boss at Liverpool Street had kept my job, fair fucks, so I worked like a dog and went to find him, my mate.
2005		P. Howard Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightdress 1: Fair focks to him, roysh.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 432: He wears the shades on account of being light-sensitive [...] Fair fucks tae the cunt.
2021		P Howard Braywatch 14: ‘He’s been swimming for, like, six hours – non-stop.’ ‘You’d have to say fair focks’.

(Aus.) a phr. meaning ‘be fair, give us a chance’; occas. as n., a fair chance.

1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 67: Fair suck of the sauce stick! Where did all these flamin’ kiddies come from?
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 44/2: fair shake (of the dice)/ fair suck of the [...] sauce stick/fair whack are some more appeals for fairness.
1999		G. Seal Lingo 4: We still speak of the fair go, of doing the right thing, of having a fair suck of [...] the sauce bottle.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].
2005		C. Hindrum in Tasmanian Times 4 Feb. 🌐 I mean, fair suck of the sauce bottle, we’ve been here a couple of hundred years and we act like we bloody own the place.
2022		in D. Andrew Aussie Sl.

(Aus./N.Z.) a phr. meaning ‘be fair, give us a chance’; occas. as n., a fair chance.

1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 63: Fair suck of the pineapple! I got to earn a crust somehow.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 44/2: fair suck of the sav/saveloy/sauce stick/fair whack are some more appeals for fairness.
1996		S. Maloney Brush-Off (1998) 52: Isn’t it time that someone else got a fair suck of the sausage?
1996		(con. 1964-65) B. Thorpe Sex and Thugs and Rock ’n’ Roll 259: ‘Aw, fair suck of the sav, love [...] We’re only ’avin’ a chuckle’.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].
2006		N.Z. Herald 19 June 🌐 [headline] Netball: Fair suck of the sav, says Ellis, NZ attitude’s better.

abused, treated very badly.

1891

B. Bellwood in Ware (1909) 126/2: Oh, the yeroines o’ them penny novelettes – yer good old penny ones – none o’ yer apenny ones for me – o’ them yeroines – arn’t they fair trod on?

(US campus) an ironic comment that something is not fair.

1978		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 4: that’s fair – a sarcastic expression which means the exact opposite; He ate your dinner too? That’s fair.
1996		Eble Sl. and Sociability 67: That’s fair is a sarcastic expression that means ‘that’s unfair’.