only fairly

[lukre]

If you ask somebody how they are, and they answer -only fairly- what does it mean? I saw it in an old book, it might be archaic.

[Barb_D]

It would sound odd to me.

I think a modern answer for that would be "so-so" or "Just okay."

[not a teacher]

[lukre]

Thanx anyway!
I think it was British English.

[BobK]

Thanx anyway!
I think it was British English.

Not guilty - we might, though, say 'Only fair'. The more common collocation is 'Fair to middling'.

It's possible (though I haven't met it) that this follows the analogy - in some Northern dialects - of 'poorly' as an adjective meaning "ill": here's an example - with apologies to northern speakers; this isn't my native dialect

"'ow's tha mam?" [How's your mother?]
"Reet poorly." [Very ill.]

b