Search
Select the dictionary language
fair to middling
Idiom
InformalWhat is the origin of the idiom "fair to middling" and when to use it?
The idiom "fair to middling" originated from the grading system used by farmers and merchants to label the quality of agricultural products, particularly cotton. The grading system classified products as "fine," "good," "fair," "middling," and "ordinary," with "fair to middling" representing a moderate level of quality. Over time, the phrase transitioned into everyday speech, coming to mean "average" or "slightly above average" by the 1860s.
Examples
The new restaurant's food was fair to middling, not exceptional but not terrible either.
The team's performance in the match was fair to middling, showing some promise but lacking consistency.
