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  • Turnabout is fair play
    Turnabout is fair play
    You had your turn; now it's only fair that I should have mine. (Compare Every dog has his day.)
  • turnabout is fair play
    turnabout is fair play
    Taking alternate or successive turns at doing something is just and equitable. For example, Come on, I want to sit in the front seat now—turnabout is fair play. This justification for taking turns was first recorded in 1755.

Turnabout is fair play

Cultural  
  1. You had your turn; now it's only fair that I should have mine. (Compare Every dog has his day.)


turnabout is fair play Idioms  
  1. Taking alternate or successive turns at doing something is just and equitable. For example, Come on, I want to sit in the front seat now—turnabout is fair play. This justification for taking turns was first recorded in 1755.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Turnabout is fair play, naturally, but this righteous backlash obscures something much more potent: how strong modern female country music has been lately.

From New York Times Jun. 18, 2015

Turnabout is fair play, of course: gossips should get gossiped about.

From Time Magazine Archive

Turnabout is fair play, decided bearded New Orleans Jazzman Al Hint, 41.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Gremlins" stole the idea for Gizmo from the Ewoks, and turnabout is fair play.

From Salon Jul. 21, 2022

Since turnabout is fair play, my plan was to challenge the tome’s very existence.

From Washington Post May 18, 2018

You don't want to go to hers, so turnabout is fair play.

From Slate Jan. 9, 2012

This father-son speech teaches the lad that turnabout is fair play: "I'll tell the world, / 'Forget about it, girl,' / And walk like a man from you."

From Time Magazine Archive

You’d think a reasonable person would understand that turnabout is fair play, but you’d be surprised how quickly reason goes out the window when the bugs start spraying back.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

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