On the up-and-up

Posted by Smokey Stover on February 10, 2008 at 12:21:

In Reply to: On the up-and-up posted by G on February 10, 2008 at 12:20:

: Where did the phrase "on the up-and-up" originate?

Apparently in the western U.S. See the Oxford English Dictionary.

"4. Colloq. phr. on the up-and-up. a. Honest(ly), straightforward(ly), 'on the level'. orig. and chiefly U.S.
1863 Humboldt Reg. (Unionville, Nevada) 4 July 2/1 Now that would be business, on the dead up-and-up. 1929 D. HAMMETT Red Harvest vii. 71 He phoned the old man's residence to find out if the check was on the up-and-up. 1932 WODEHOUSE Hot Water i. 20, I kept telling her the whole thing had been strictly on the up-and-up, but she wouldn't listen. 1952 M. ALLINGHAM Tiger in Smoke iii. 65 They've got to be on the up-and-up, see? 1974 P. DE VRIES Glory of Hummingbird xiii. 200 Thus I ended..on the up-and-up. I had restored some honesty to..a thoroughly shady enterprise."