fair and square

Idioms  

1. Just and honest, as in He won the race fair and square. This redundant expression— fair and square mean essentially the same thing—probably owes its long life to its rhyme. [Early 1600s]

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Example Sentences

My daughters also have powers of attorney on all of my bank accounts, and my husband has his children listed as POD on his accounts as well, so that is fair and square.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

Landau says he bought the Courbet fair and square last year last year from a reputable New York dealer, whose lawyer says she was legally cleared to resell the work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Taking to Instagram to rubbish all the “crackpot theories”, Te Hiiritanga Wepiha - a Kiwi judge on the Oceania qualifying panel - said Raygun won fair and square.

From BBC • Aug. 17, 2024

“But if anybody wants to ratify it now and stamp it assisted, we can accept it. Because we did it fair and square, no help in any way.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2023

But Papa had bought it fair and square.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz