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play fast and loose

To be recklessly inaccurate, inappropriate, or otherwise ignoring guidelines and conventions.

Etymology:

  • From the con game Fast-and-loose, a cheating game played with a stick and a belt or string, so arranged that a spectator would think he could make the latter fast by placing a stick through its intricate folds, whereas the operator could detach it at once.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'play fast and loose':

play fast and looseTo ignore proper behavior or social conventions, especially when it suits ones purpose.
Play Fast and LooseTo be capricious and irresponsible, to do all that pleases one without caring to have offended others
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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to play fast and loose

Play Both Ends Against the Middleplay it by earplay gamesplay first fiddleplay hardballplay by earplay atplay hob withplay ballplay hookyplay atplay awayplay hookeyplay ball

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    "play fast and loose." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/play-fast-and-loose_6136>.

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