play fair
play fair — idiom
1. to behave in an honest, just way and treat everyone the same, without cheating o
to behave in an honest, just way and treat everyone the same, without cheating or taking unfair advantage
The teacher reminded Sayaka to play fair and share the crayons with her classmates.
play fair = behave honestly toward others
Mayor Emma promised voters she would play fair and stop spreading false rumours about rivals.
If you want my trust, Ramón, you have to play fair with me about the money.
The two bakeries on Maple Street agreed to play fair and not copy each other's prices.
Roya always plays fair, so nobody at the office ever questions her decisions.
- play by the rules
closer to following set procedures than to general honesty
- be straight with someone
informal; stresses telling the truth to a person
- cheat
act dishonestly to gain an advantage
- play dirty
informal; use unfair or nasty tactics
文法句型
play fair
play fair with someone
用法筆記
Often used to appeal to someone's sense of justice in arguments, business, and relationships. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about honest behaviour in general, not about obeying the rules of a specific game or contest.
常見錯誤
2. to take part in a game or sport by following its agreed rules instead of breakin
to take part in a game or sport by following its agreed rules instead of breaking them to win
The referee warned both teams to play fair or risk losing the match.
play fair = follow the rules of a game
Coach Adina told the children that winning matters less than learning to play fair.
During the chess final, Lakan refused to play fair and quietly moved a piece.
Coach Nicholas trains his young footballers to play fair and shake hands after every match.
Referee Maeve told the eight chess clubs to play fair so the weekend tournament ran smoothly.
- play by the rules
near-synonym; can sound more formal or literal
- keep to the rules
stresses staying within set limits
文法句型
play fair
用法筆記
Subject is usually a player, team, or competitor. Distinguish from sense 1: here the standard is the explicit rules of a game or contest, not honesty in everyday life.