Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 20:26:10 -0500

From: Gerald Cohen gcohen[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UMR.EDU

Subject: "on the level"



The discussion about the origin of "to level the playing field" leads

me to the expression "on the level" (=honest, straightforward). RHHDAS has

this expression going back to 1872. But what was the original imagery

here? When someone said "He's on the level" what level was being referred

to?



--Gerald Cohen



gcohen[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]umr.edu