sportsmanlikeadv.adj.

1740 ‘Mercator’ in Explan. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Heats European Race 18 If old Redcoat wins the second Heat, Then, Sportsman-like, I'll swear by —— we're beat.

1795 F. Reynolds Speculation Epilogue 77 But sportsman like, to hit the game, I'll try.

1945 J. L. Marshall Santa Fe 197 If you can't play sportsmanlike, we ain't going to give no warning in the future.

2003 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator 20 Jan. b4 As the ball starts to roll they get more confidence. Then they play sportsmanlike and work on their skills.

1816 W. Scott Antiquary II. vii. 182 He indulges his sportsman-like propensities by shooting my pigeons.

1824 M. R. Mitford Our Village I. 290 Having something smart and sportsman-like in his appearance.

1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. l. 483 If he has with him the light javelin which he uses for spearing birds, he may be tempted to employ it now; but this, I believe, is not altogether sportsmanlike.

1889 H. R. Haggard Allan's Wife 296 The lion is a sportsmanlike animal, and..prefers to kill his own dinner.

1899 E. Phillpotts Human Boy 119 Freckles, who was an awfully sportsmanlike chap really.

1911 Times 5 July 28/2 Tact, good temper, honesty of purpose, and that sportsmanlike sense of fair play which formed the best foundation for dealing with men of all classes.

1923 A. C. Bent Life Hist. N. Amer. Wild Fowl 199 One of the oldest and most sportsmanlike methods of shooting ducks on Chesapeake Bay is known as point shooting.

1998 B. Kingsolver Poisonwood Bible (1999) iii. 244 It is even all right for people to knock into each other hard every once in a while, in a sportsmanlike way, leaving a few bruises in the service of the final score.

2007 Scotsman (Nexis) 21 Sept. (Business Gazette section) 38 There was an understandable lack of sportsmanlike congratulation in evidence in Scotland yesterday, on the news that the new £1 billion technology institute..is to be based at Loughborough University.