The idiom “fair and square” means winning without cheating or unscrupulous methods. It can be used in contests, business dealings, and to denote a clear victory. The phrase has been around for over 500 years and derives its meaning from the figurative meaning of “square” as honest.
If someone wins something “right and proper,” it means they won a contest without any doubts about the outcome. The phrase, which is an English idiom, also implies that the person or team that won did so without using unscrupulous methods or cheating. This phrase can also be used in many occasions where someone has clean and level business dealings. “Fair and square” is a phrase that has been around for over 500 years and derives its meaning from the figurative meaning of “square” as honest.
It is common for speakers of the English language to use short sentences that have meanings that may not be implied by the literal definitions of the words they contain. These short phrases are known as idioms and give speakers a way to add color and expressiveness to their communications with others. Idioms get their meaning from how they are used and understood by people in the culture. One such idiom that has to do with contests between two people or teams is the phrase “fair and square.”
The competing side that manages to win in a way that merits the use of this phrase often wins by decision. When the phrase is used in this way, there is an implication that previous fights between two combatants may have been so close that their outcome was in question. A victory in this way, on the other hand, is a total and undeniable victory. For example, someone might say, “The first two games were too close to call, but there’s no question Susan won fair this time.”
Another way this phrase is used is to denote a win that comes without cheating or bad sportsmanship. This type of win is also often at odds with a previous game that may have been marred by some sort of bad behavior. For example, consider the sentence: “This time we had a referee to make sure there was no cheating, so we won fairly.”
This phrase is often used in the context of business dealings held without any underhanded behavior by either business party. There is written evidence of the use of the phrase “fair and square” as early as the 16th century. It plays on the fact that something that is described as “square” is often considered something upright and honest.
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