on the level

See the Citations page for examples showing the sense evolution.

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on the level

1. (idiomatic) Honest(ly), sincere(ly), straightforward(ly), fair(ly).

   He looks like a used car salesman, but he's really on the level, so you can trust him.

   • 1912 August, Christy Mathewson, “Play Clean Ball”, in Boys' Life, page 7:

     While I believe that the American people and the players want the game to be on the level, there are two or three things which, it strikes me, are not up to a high standard of honor.

2. Synonym of on the square (“discreet reference to freemasonry”)

• (honest, sincere, straightforward): above board, on the square, on the up and up

• (honest, sincere, straightforward): askew, crooked