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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

on the level en · ADP

Pronunciation

Etymology

See the Citations page for examples showing the sense evolution.

Meanings

  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.
    • "On the level, honey, I have an all-time, big-time need for coffee." 1959, Marc Brody, Low Dive for Lola, page i. 9:
    • 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. 1912 August, Christy Mathewson, “Play Clean Ball”, in Boys' Life, page 7:
  2. Synonym of on the square (“discreet reference to freemasonry”).

Antonyms

askew (antonym(s) of “honest, sincere, straightforward”) · crooked (antonym(s) of “honest, sincere, straightforward”)

Synonyms

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