square apple

square john

slang An honest, respectable, and law-abiding man. Used primarily in criminal and prison communities. The key is to find some square john to take the fall for you when the feds finally catch on to the scheme. I know you can't understand how I can sleep at night doing what I do. But see, I look at a square john like you, a slave to your work and your mortgage, and I think you're the crazy one.
See also: john, square
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

square apple

verb
See square john
See also: apple, square
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • square john
  • square john broad
  • square-john broad
  • an honest buck
  • jump smooth
  • make an honest buck
  • earn an honest buck
  • on the up and up
  • be on the up and up
  • on the up-and-up
References in periodicals archive
Following Brexit, Britain will do very well, thank you - so, Theresa May, tell the bullies they're not getting a farthing more and we don't need their silly laws about straight bananas and square apples.
Eurocrats like a pack of hyenas; LETTERS
Certainly some people are better artists than others, other people can be smarter, but it really is just a decision about how much work you put in and, even more important, what standards you will accept.'" Had Zorich's mother not decided to act for her family and create square apples, would she--and by extension her son--ever have realized success?--GSV
Apples & action