un·fair /ˌʌnˈfeə◂ $ -ˈfer◂/ ●●● S3 adjectiveadj UNFAIRnot right or fair, especially because not everyone has an equal opportunity 不公平的,不公正的 SYN unjust an unfair advantage 不公平的优势
laws aimed at preventing unfair competition 旨在防止不公平竞争的法令
Many employers have recognized that age discrimination is unfair. 许多雇主已经认识到年龄歧视是不公平的。
She won £20,000 for unfair dismissal (=being illegally made to leave your job). 她因被不公平解雇而得到两万英镑的赔偿。
—unfairly adverbadv Mrs Taylor believes her son has been unfairly treated. 泰勒太太认为她儿子受到了不公正待遇。
The tribunal decided that Mr Matthews had been unfairly dismissed. 特别法庭裁定马修斯先生是被不公平解雇的。
—unfairness noun [uncountableU]
n COLLOCATIONSadverbsvery/most unfairWe live in a very unfair world.
totally unfairIt’s totally unfair to blame one player when the team doesn’t play well.
extremely/grossly unfairThe system was extremely unfair.
a little/slightly unfair (also a bit unfair British EnglishBrE spoken)You’re being slightly unfair on him.
blatantly/manifestly/demonstrably unfair (=clearly unfair)The newspaper called the judge’s ruling ‘blatantly unfair.’
n THESAURUSunfair/not fair not right or fair, especially because not everyone has an equal opportunityThe present welfare system is grossly unfair.
It’s not fair that people are paying different prices for the same tickets.
unjust not fair or right according to the principles of a particular societyHe believed it was an illegal and unjust war.
unjust laws
unequal unfair because people are treated in different ways or because some people have more power than othersWe live in a deeply unequal society.
the unequal distribution of global resources
inequitable formal unfair because people are treated in different ways, or because some people have more power than othersinequitable tax laws
The system is inequitable, because it makes it possible for rich people to buy a place at university.
biased unfairly against or in favour of a particular groupbiased reporting
There were claims that prison bosses were racially biased.
The policy was biased against women.
The trade laws are biased in favour of rich countries.
treating people unfairly because of their race, sex, age etcprejudiced treating someone unfairly and having an unreasonable dislike of them because of their race, sex etc, or because they are old, disabled etcThe media had very prejudiced attitudes towards disabled people.
I don’t want to sound prejudiced, but I do think women are better at this type of job.
racist treating someone unfairly because of their raceracist remarks
Children pick up racist attitudes from their parents.
sexist treating someone unfairly because of their sexHe had made sexist comments to several women in the office.
The show was about two female inspectors who had trouble with their sexist bosses.
ageist treating someone unfairly because of their age – used especially when old people are unfairly treatedAgeist attitudes result in older people being discriminated against in the workplace.
homophobic treating someone unfairly because they are homosexualMany of his songs are homophobic.