turnabout is fair play

proverb

Etymology

First use appears c. 1755, of British or Irish origin.

  1. derived from origin

Definitions

  1. It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones…

    It is allowable to retaliate against an enemy's dirty tricks by using the same ones against them.

    • No, I won't, — I went to my bed last, — let my bed come to me now, turn about is fair play.
  2. Taking turns is morally right.

    • Turnabout is fair play, right? We'll start it low and take turns, I'll tase you, and then you can tase me, and we'll see who the last man standing is.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for turnabout is fair play. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA