play straight

play straight

To act, behave, or play fairly and justly; to observe the rules or the laws; to not cheat or betray the spirit of something. Often used in negative formations. If you don't play fair, no one is going to want to play games with you anymore! The watchdog accused the giant multinational corporation of not playing fair with its tax obligations. Everyone I know cheats the system to their advantage, so why should I have to be the one to play fair?
See also: play, straight
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

play ˈfair/ˈstraight (with somebody)

act honestly and fairly: I don’t think it’s playing fair to blame her for other people’s mistakes.
See also: fair, play, straight
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • play fair
  • play fair/straight
  • offend against
  • mulct
  • mulct (one) out of (something)
  • mulct out of
  • by rights
  • be barking up the wrong tree
  • sell out
  • sold out
References in periodicals archive
Achrekar Sir taught me to play straight - on the field and in life.
Tendulkar pays homage to coach Ramakant Achrekar on Teachers' Day
"I would expect him to be fit enough to play straight away and train straight away."
Sanchez to stay at Utd amid lack of buyers
Badlan "I think Michael can come in and play straight away in League One but you have got to give the lad three or four months to settle in.
Fantastic four show rebuild is underway for Robins
In his book Pakistan: a Hard Country, Anatol Leiven puts it clearly by saying: 'Economic sanctions are not really a credible threat, because the economic collapse of Pakistan would play straight into the hands of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.'
Myopic US approach
While giving advice to Prime Minister Imran Khan he said, 'the prime minister should select a good team and then play straight. He should remember that government runs through understandings not by force.'
Government runs through understanding, not by force: Nisar
"[These strategies] polarise, strengthen and play straight into the narrative of violent extremist groups whose intentions are to place communities at loggerheads with security agencies."
Careful, you might worsen youth radicalisation, Muhuri tells security forces
We have to play straight and keep on hard working, as without applying, one can't get desired results.
Dean Jones hopes United will play play-offs
"If you look at last year we brought Jem Karacan in around this time and he didn't play straight away," said Parkinson before today's game at Norwich.
NORWICH v BOLTON Championship: Carrow []
I was kind of hard for me to play straight up, so I guess that was their game plan, getting me in foul trouble.
ROS import says Fajardo is 'not soft,' 'way better' than Slaughter
He said: "Any game you play straight after a defeat like that becomes more crucial because you must get back to winning ways.
Toony: Let's wipe out flop; GLASGOW v TREVISO
TOWN'S new loan signing Elliott Ward says he is itching to "play straight away" with the crunch trip to Cardiff City just 48 hours away.
WARD CAN'T WAIT! Loan signing Elliott itching to start
"Ideally, we would like him straight away because I feel he is good enough to play straight away, because he is a really talented player.
Given hoping to keep Grealish in green
"He is such a fine organiser, he would get the tactics I wanted to play straight away.
HE WAS BORN TO LEAD
Carol Cullington, who has written for Brookside, Eastenders and BBC drama Accused, penned play Straight Up after the death of 17-year-old Kelsey Shaw, from Speke, who was strangled to death by her boyfriend Callum Willcocks in April last year.
PLAY HIGHLIGHTS DOMESTIC ABUSE AFTER MURDERS; Drama will target young audiences
Sean Hayes presented the Vanguard Award to Emmy and Tony Award-winning entertainer Kristin Chenoweth, who had publicly challenged a Newsweek article that wrongly asserted gay actors cannot play straight roles.
GLAAD to be gay: The GLAAD awards are a welcome reminder of our increasing visibility in mainstream culture