fair and square
34
3.3
- idiom
- Informal
:
limpiamente
- Up here we do things fair and square.
- won fair and square
- beat fair and square
- lost fair and square
And no, he got beat fair and square by Collins and he shouldn't have been he.
- And no, he got beat fair and square by Collins and he shouldn't have been he.
- And, you know, her view is that Johnny won that case fair and square.
- And if I lose, did I lose fair and square?
- But we got to him fair and square.
Examples
-
If I earned the money fair and square, how does the way I spend it affect your life?
Blog text (11) -
I won that competition fair and square.
-
But you were elected fair and square.
-
The girls beat us fair and square.
-
We won fair and square, buddy!
-
I beat you fair and square.
-
You won fair and square.
-
I bought it fair and square.
Fiction book (2001) -
New Brighton must win this one fair and square.
-
I won the match fair and square, so there's no reason for a rematch.
Synonyms
113
2.6
In a fair way because someone deserves it
100
1.0
In an honest way that treats everyone the same
6
6.0
In a fair way that gives everyone what they need
6
4.8
In a fair way without personal feelings or interests
4
5.6
Something should happen because it is fair or proper
1
6.3
In a fair way that treats all sides the same
1
5.2
Act in a fair way without personal feelings or unfair views
Antonyms
How Fair
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both constituents ('fair' and 'square') independently mean just/honest, so the combined phrase reinforces that sense; the meaning 'in a just and honest way' is directly derivable from the parts. This conjunctive/emphatic pairing is a common, compositional pattern in English (and parallels exist cross-linguistically), so a B1 learner who knows the words will readily understand it.
Etymology
Fair and square may come from old games or market contests. Imagine everyone playing inside a marked square where the rules are the same and things are fair — the square kept play honest. That's why the phrase means 'in a just and honest way' today.