Meaning of 'freely and fairly'

Tamara · October 29, 2006, 7:01pm

Hi

I often hear and read it – freely and fairly, but to be honest, I never saw its ‘dictionary’ definition.
Now I tried to find it – and have failed.

Could you shortly define the meaning of the (fixed) expression?
Or it’s just ‘freely’ and ‘fairly’?

Gypsy1900 · October 29, 2006, 7:24pm

an example of how this idiom can be used: he gave of himself freely and fairly. meaning that he was libral with his time and fair as to who benefited.

Canadian45 · October 30, 2006, 3:32am

Perhaps freely and fairly qualifies as a fixed expression in some places but I don’t think that it does in North America. I certainly wouldn’t call it an idiom.

Yankee · October 30, 2006, 4:30am

I’d say it’s closer to being just ‘freely’ and ‘fairly’ – though it may be a relatively common expression due to the alliteration.
Gypsy1900’s example of the meaning seems fitting to me.

Amy

Tamara · October 30, 2006, 7:27am

The prose of existence…

Thank you all for your responses.

Alan · October 30, 2006, 7:41am

Hi Tamara,

How about without ‘let or hindrance’? It’s kind of got the same tang as ‘freely and fairly’.

A

Tamara · October 30, 2006, 7:45am

Hi Alan

Thanks!!!

swimmingly - can I also consider it as an ‘equiavalent’ saying?

Alan · October 30, 2006, 7:57am

Hi,

I wouldn’t bet on it. Someone will probably bite my head off. Let’s just say they’re good companions.

A

Tamara · October 30, 2006, 9:21am

(off-topic)
By the way, it’s always seems to me a bit strange (well, and not logical - hi, Amy :)) that in English they say
to give smb. a free hand
or
to get / have a free hand

To me, having only one free hand definitely means only ‘a half’ of freedom.

Yankee · October 30, 2006, 9:22am

Now there’s another one I’m not familiar with. :?

So, if something ‘happened without let or hindrance’, can I say it ‘went off without a hitch’?

Amy

Alan · October 30, 2006, 9:30am

Hi Amy,

Not really. It suggests proceeding without being stopped. It comes I believe from what is written on the passport or at least was BB (Before Blair) saying that the holder of this passport could travel about without being stopped. I’ll probably have to look at my passport again. The last time it was scrutinized with an extremely beady eye was by a passport control officer in Russia last September and when she’d finished, she just laughed. But then you haven’t seen the picture in my passport.
A