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on the square



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Idioms and Phrases

Honestly and openly, as in Our dealings with them have always been on the square . This expression literally means “at right angles.” Similarly the antonym out of square , literally signifying “not at right angles,” figuratively means “not in agreement” or “irregular.” For example, The lab's report is out of square with the x-ray . The first recorded use of this term was in 1542.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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