Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - unfair

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. An unfair action or situation is not right or fair. She was awarded ?5,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal... America decided that imported steel had an unfair advantage over steel made at home... It was unfair that he should suffer so much... The union said it was unfair to ask workers to adopt a policy of wage restraint. ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ that/to-inf • unfairly An industrial tribunal has no jurisdiction to decide whether an employee was fairly or unfairly dismissed... He unfairly blamed Frances for the failure. ADV: ADV adj, ADV with v 2. An unfair system or situation does not give equal treatment or equal opportunities to everyone involved. The American plane makers continue to accuse Airbus of unfair competition... Some have been sentenced to long prison terms after unfair trials. ADJ: usu ADJ n • unfairness What about the unfairness of life? Why do bad things happen to good people? N-UNCOUNT