fair game
noun1
Idiomatic Actions permissible by the rules.
- Pretending to be slow is fair game. Pretending to be injured is not.
- The referee ruled the unprecedented play fair game.
2
Idiomatic A goal or an object that may legitimately be sought.
- After the middle sister's call from a friend's house, her slice of cake was fair game.
3
Idiomatic An acceptable subject or target for criticism, scrutiny, mockery, or attack.
- Anyone running for office is fair game for criticism.
- She's fair game, Joe. It's always open season on princesses.1953, Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton, Roman Holiday, spoken by Irving Radovich (Eddie Albert):
4
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fair, game.: a game that is fair, that does not involve cheating, etc.