on the level

1. Honest, without deception: “We doubted that the offer could be genuine, but it turned out to be on the level.”

Idioms and Phrases

Honest, straightforward, sincere, as in You can believe her—she's on the level . This expression may have come from Freemasonry, where the carpenter's level symbolizes integrity. [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

A really true, on-the-level, honest-to-jiminy jinx can do all sorts of mean things to a professional ball-player.

From Project Gutenberg