fair to middling
1
acceptable, but not exceptional
The idiom "fair to middling" originated from the grading system used by farmers and merchants to label the quality of agricultural products, particularly cotton. The grading system classified products as "fine," "good," "fair," "middling," and "ordinary," with "fair to middling" representing a moderate level of quality. Over time, the phrase transitioned into everyday speech, coming to mean "average" or "slightly above average" by the 1860s.
- The new restaurant's food was fair to middling, not exceptional but not terrible either.
- The team's performance in the match was fair to middling, showing some promise but lacking consistency.
- The movie received fair to middling reviews, with critics expressing mixed opinions about its quality.
- Her skills in playing the piano are fair to middling, showing improvement but not yet at an advanced level.
- The company's financial results for the quarter were fair to middling, meeting expectations but not exceeding them.