fair play

fair play (uncountable)

1. Good behavior; conduct (in sports or another endeavor) that is respectful of the rules, the spirit of the activity, and the adversary.
   • 1963, Dwight Eisenhower, Mandate for Change 1953-1956‎, Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 46:

     The result, eventually, was the conviction of Mr. Hiss on charges of perjury. But the feature that especially appealed to me was the reputation that Congressman Nixon had achieved for fairness in the investigating process. Not once had he overstepped the limits prescribed by the American sense of fair play or American rules applying to such investigations. He did not persecute or defame.

   • 2017 January 18, Sid Lowe, “Chaos at Mestalla: Valencia's journey from Champions League to utter disarray”, in the Guardian‎:

     Financial fair play – talked about as if it is somehow nothing to do with the way the club is run, an imposition upon their work rather than a consequence of the way they work – meant that they could not spend what they do not generate.

• play fair
• turnabout is fair play

fair play

1. (colloquial, UK, Ireland) used to acknowledge or congratulate for something.
   • 1964, Charles Norman De Courcy-Parry, Here lies my story‎, page 248:

     [S]he consolidated her position by purchasing the kennels, doing them up regardless of expense and buying two new horses, and, fair play to her, fair play, as they say in Wales, ...

   • 1990 July 1, Joe Saward, quoting Martin Donnelly, “Interview: Martin Donnelly”, in The Business of Motorsport Newsletter‎, archived from the original on 16 October 2017:

     "Fair play to Jean, he has made it work for him."

   • 1994 June 21, Liam Hayes, “GAA's holding its own now, but could lose in the end”, in Irish Voice‎, archived from the original on 21 April 2016:

     The Gaelic Athletic Association, fair play to them, want absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with that thingumajig football tournament in America.

   • 2002 October 30, "Acquiesce", “Re: noel and chris at fair play gig”, in alt.music.oasis‎ (Usenet):

     I wasn't expecting much of Ms Dynamite at the start of the night, but fair play to her, she's got a great voice on her.

   • 2010 May 7, “Clayton sure buoyant Reds are up to the task of seeing off Fleetwood”, in Derby Evening Telegraph‎:

     Liam Watson: "Fair play to Southport, they were the best team on paper because they got the most points. We just want to prove we are as good as them".

• good for you
• good on you
• tip one's hat

• Playfair, play fair

Unadapted borrowing from English fair play.

fair play m (invariable)

1. fair play

Unadapted borrowing from English fair play.

• IPA^(key): /fɛr plɛj/

• Audio

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fair play (not comparable, no derived adverb)

1. (of a player, sports) fair-play (fair and abiding by the rules of the game)
2. (of a game, sports) fair-play (compatible with the rules)

fair play (not comparable)

1. (sports) fair-play (fairly and abiding by the rules of the game)

fair play n (indeclinable)

1. (sports) fair play (conduct that is respectful of the rules)
2. (by extension, figuratively) fair play (good behavior in life)

• fair play in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• fair play in Polish dictionaries at PWN