above-board

English

Alternative forms

• aboveboard, above board (adverb)

Etymology

• above +‎ board
• First attested in 1610.
• Said by Johnson to have been borrowed from gamesters, who, when they change their cards, put their hands under the table.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /əˈbʌv bɔɹd/

Adjective

above-board (not comparable)

1. In open sight; without trick, concealment, or deception. [First attested in the late 16^th century.]^[1]

   Fair and aboveboard.

Adverb

above-board (not comparable)

1. Honestly; openly. [First attested in the late 16^th century.]^[1]

Synonyms

• straightforward, transparent

References

1. ↑ ^1.01.1 2003 [1933], Brown, Lesley editor, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, edition 5th, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7, page 7: