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UKSquare deal
/skwˈeə dˈiːl/
/skwˈɛɹ dˈiːl/Square deal
[NOUN]
What is the origin of the idiom "square deal" and when to use it?
The idiom "square deal" originated in the United States during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt popularized the term as part of his political agenda, which focused on promoting fairness, equal opportunity, and combating corruption. The phrase itself predates Roosevelt, but it gained widespread usage and recognition during his presidency, from 1901 to 1909. It is commonly employed in discussions about business transactions, negotiations, and agreements, highlighting the importance of equitable terms and fair practices.
Examples
1. The Square Deal is a fixture in Eagleville, a place where farmers and townspeople can go for light bulbs, greeting cards, hunting gear, ice cream, aspirin, and dozens of other small items without having to drive to a big-box store in Bethany, the county seat, 15 miles down Interstate 35.
2. His political program, the Square Deal, aimed to distinguish good corporations that provided useful products and services at fair prices from evil corporations that existed just to make money.
3. Rinehart was behind the counter of the Square Deal, his old-time country store, as he calls it, on the fading town square of Eagleville, Missouri, a tiny farm community 100 miles north of Kansas City.
4. The first of those innovations is evident in the fact that with Theodore Roosevelt we have the first publicized slogan, the Square Deal, that described a comprehensive, coherent policy program for which the president was to stand as champion.
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