Fair to middling

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Meaning

Just average or so-so, not great but not bad.

Origin

From 19th-century America, tied to cotton; 'fair to middling' graded bales, slang by 1860s for average. An 1865 'Atlantic Monthly' uses it for a fair day.

Variants

  • To middling

Usage Examples

  • How's the soup? Fair to middling, I'd say.
  • He's fair to middling; could be worse.
  • Fair to middling work; not stellar.

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