play by the rules

== English == === Verb === play by the rules (third-person singular simple present plays by the rules, present participle playing by the rules, simple past and past participle played by the rules) to do what is expected. Synonym: play the game === Further reading === “by the rules”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. “play by the rules”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.