above board

above board

Legitimate, honest, or legal. I expected that big company to try to take advantage of us, but so far all of their dealings with us have been above board. These documents look above board to me, Tom—go ahead and process them.
See also: above, board
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

above board

COMMON If a situation or business is above board, it is honest and legal. Anyone who wants to inspect our books can see for themselves that we are totally above board. Note: You can use above-board before nouns. If this export had been conducted in an honest and above-board fashion, they would have had no difficulty in reclaiming tax paid on the gold. Note: This expression comes from card games in which players place their bets on a board or table. Actions above the table, where other players can see them, are probably fair.
See also: above, board
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

above board

honest; not secret.
Above board was originally a gambling term, indicating fair play by players who kept their hands above the board (i.e. the table).
See also: above, board
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

above ˈboard

honest and open; not secret: All my dealings with the company have been completely above board.
If card players keep their hands above the table (the board), other players can see what they are doing.
See also: above, board
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • be above board
  • aboveboard
  • make an honest buck
  • earn an honest buck
  • an honest buck
  • honest to a fault
  • an honest broker
  • shoot straight
  • shoot square
  • honest to God
References in periodicals archive
The Above Board Chamber of Florida is dedicated to bringing people of all faiths together within the community, in the workplace and amongst one another.
Launius allowed the agency to meet with him anyway, and said he kept things above board by giving the Little Rock agency the same information he gave those at the meeting.
The dressing room has been buzzing with the shenanigans that went on all totally above board may I add It became a bit of a footballers convention, with Dundee, Falkirk, St Mirren, Dundee United and Everton all converging on Glasgow's boozers.
"We have proper checks in place to ensure that everything is above board with the Department of Home Affairs and they have proper documentation," she says.
ABOVE BOARD gave Dean McKeown a victory on his 42nd birthday when making all in the six-furlong seller.
But Luckman says the selection was "totally legal and above board." She points out that Bibliowicz Worked with AAADT on planning and design for three years as a volunteer before getting the contract.
He said: "My tax affairs are, and always have been, entirely above board."
The European Commission and France have launched the data-base project in a bid to make the secret world of shipping more open and above board, and eventually force illegal vessels out of the market.
The whole process had been above board, he stated, open-minded, with full opportunity for everyone to make their case, with a free vote, and due concern on the part of Messrs Chretien, Rock and Tobin--"all practising Catholics like myself"--for careful consideration of everyone involved.
'This is because a judicial officer of such high standing must not only be above board but be seen to be above board at all times.
But the governor on Tuesday said the County waste management deal was above board.
'Ginagarantiya ko ho sa inyo na wala hong nakinabang dito , walang kalokohan ho ito, above board lahat at malinaw ang konsensya namin.
To a question, he said Parliament should set up a committee for accountability of all the Pakistanis above board and it should formulate laws for accountability against corruption.
Fort Myers, FL, July 30, 2016 --(PR.com)-- As the important 2016 elections get closer, more and more hopefuls for public office are signing on to attend the Above Board Chamber of Florida's "Face the Candidates" event.
Apparently it's all above board because they were called in by the gardai but the bottom line is armed soldiers were, by proxy, assisting the banks to recover money owed to them.