Play fair and square 🤼⬜
Meaning
To compete or act honestly and according to the rules.
Origin
Imagine medieval town squares, bustling with merchants and games of chance. The term 'square' was associated with honesty and uprightness, contrasting with 'crooked' dealings. 'Fair' simply meant just or equitable. When these two concepts combined, 'fair and square' became the definitive way to describe a contest won or conducted without cheating, ensuring everyone knew the victory (or loss) was legitimate and above board.
Play fair and square represented with emoji🤼⬜
This playful juxtaposition of wrestlers and a perfectly square frame, '🤼⬜', serves as a whimsical reminder to 'play fair and square'. It's not just about competition, but about the elegance of honesty and adherence to established rules, even when the game gets a little rough.
Examples
- It's important to play fair and square, even if you really want to win.
- The coach always told us to play fair and square in every game.
- The gnome promised to play fair and square in the acorn-gathering contest.
- Even the mischievous sprites agreed to play fair and square during the moonbeam races.
Frequently asked questions
The opposite is to 'cheat' or 'play dirty'. These phrases describe actions that are dishonest, unfair, or against the established rules of a game or competition.
No, the phrase likely does not originate from geometry. The 'square' in 'fair and square' referred to honesty and uprightness, in contrast to 'crooked' dealings, and was common in medieval marketplaces.
The phrase 'play fair and square' is generally considered an idiom. It's a common expression whose meaning isn't directly deducible from the individual words, and it's used to describe a specific type of honest conduct.
Yes, you can 'play fair and square' in any situation that requires honest dealings, even if it's not a formal competition. It signifies acting with integrity and adhering to agreed-upon principles or expectations.