All's fair in love and war

People in love and soldiers in wartime are not bound by the rules of fair play.

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Notes

This proverb is frequently used when two people are contending for the love of a third.

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Idioms and Phrases

Any conduct is permissible in certain circumstances, as in Of course he called her—all's fair in love and war . This maxim, stated in various forms from 1579 on, today sometimes appears altered by an addition or substitution, as in All's fair in love and the World Series , or All's fair in love and war and an election year .

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April 25, 2024firkin

[fur-kin ]

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

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