I think it means (In health) fair to good
2006-11-09 10:17:57 · 4 answers · asked by smokey 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
fair to middlin' means fair to middling; old english for middle
so yes, fair to good health if the phrase is used in response to a question about health, could be applied in other circumstances
eg. how is the weather? how does the car run? etc.
2006-11-09 10:23:28 · answer #1 · answered by soobee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the South, it's often pronounced fahr to middlin. Definitely does not mean above average. Means somewhere in the span of fair (above poor but not all that great) to middling (the middle - average).
Don't think it is slang. Archaic or old-fashioned, yes; regional, yes; slang, no.
2006-11-09 19:18:30 · answer #2 · answered by dollhaus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I must admit that I sometimes use that expression - fair to middlin' - to indicate that I am feeling okay. Not great, not poor ... I found it in an online dictionary under "fair to middling"
http://www.onelook.com/?w=fair+to+middling&last=fair_to_middlin&loc=spell1
2006-11-09 18:23:40 · answer #3 · answered by Kris 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means better than average to average.
2006-11-09 18:32:53 · answer #4 · answered by Nort 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋