# fair share

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fair-share
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A significant amount, often implied to be excessive or inordinate; a great deal of something.

## Examples

- I have done my fair share of work today.
- After living in this city for twenty years, I have seen my fair share of bad weather.
- The seasoned detective had encountered his fair share of complex cases, yet this particular mystery challenged even his extensive experience.

## Origin

First attested in the mid-1600s, the phrase is a compound of the adjective fair and the noun share. It entered the language as a standard pairing during the seventeenth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.