square

See also: Square

English
A square (polygon)
Komsomolskaya Square

Etymology

From Middle English square, sqware, squyre; from Old French esquarre, esquerre, (modern French équerre), from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from Latin ex- +‎ quadro, from quadrus (compare English quad and quadra). Doublet of squad and squadra.

Displaced fēowerecge (fēower nominative + ecg accusative, as in "four-edged").

Pronunciation

Noun

square (plural squares)

  1. (geometry) A polygon with four sides of equal length and four right angles; an equilateral rectangle; a regular quadrilateral.
    Hypernyms: shape, polygon, rectangle
    Coordinate terms: circle, oval, triangle, trapezoid, rectangle, rhombus, lozenge, diamond
    • 1927, Kazimir Malevich, The Non-Objective World:
      I took refuge in the square form and exhibited a picture which consisted of nothing more than a black square on a white field.
  2. Something characterized by a square, or nearly square, form.
    1. A cell in a grid.
      You may not move a piece to a square already occupied by one of your own pieces.
    2. A square piece, part, or surface.
      a square of glass
    3. The front of a woman's dress over the bosom, usually worked or embroidered.
    4. (Canada, US) A dessert cut into rectangular pieces, or a piece of such a dessert.
    5. (printing) A certain number of lines, forming a portion of a column, nearly square; used chiefly in reckoning the prices of advertisements in newspapers.
      Coordinate term: column inch
  3. An L- or T-shaped tool used to place objects or draw lines at right angles.
    • a. 2018, Bob Vila, “Carpenter squares”, in Bob Vila‎, retrieved January 9, 2018:
      There are so many uses for the square, in fact, that a new model will usually come complete with a booklet enumerating its applications.
    Hyponyms: steel square, framing square, carpenter's square, T-square
    1. (figuratively, obsolete) A true measure, standard, or pattern.
  4. An open space or park, often in the center of a town, not necessarily square in shape, often containing trees, seating and other features pleasing to the eye.
    • 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
      The statue of Alexander the Seventh stands in the large square of the town.
    • 1995 October 10, NewsRadio, season 2, episode 3:
      You're not in Wisconsin, Dave. The big story isn't about a cow wandering into the town square.
    Synonyms: piazza, plaza
    1. (often in street names or addresses) A street surrounding a public square or plaza.
      Synonym: place
  5. (mathematics) The product of a number or quantity multiplied by itself; the second power of a number, value, term or expression.
    64 is the square of 8.
  6. (military formation) A body of troops drawn up in a square formation.
    • c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene xi]:
      he alone
      Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had
      In the brave squares of war
    • 1818, quoted in Christopher Kelly, History of the French Revolution and of the Wars produced by that Memorable Event
      The French cavalry, in proof armour, repeatedly charged our squares, their cannon opening chasms; but the British infantry, though greatly diminished, were inflexible and impenetrable to the last.
    • 1897, Henry Newbolt, Vitae Lampada:
      The sand of the desert is sodden red,—
      Red with the wreck of a square that broke;—
      The Gatling's jammed and the Colonel dead,
      And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
    • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 144:
      After disastrous attempts to break the Russian squares, during which, Longworth recounts, ‘the best and the bravest of the warriors fell victim to their own rashness’, the Circassians likewise changed their tactics.
  7. (1950s slang) A socially conventional or conservative person; a person who has little or no interest in the latest fads or trends.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:mainstreamer
    Antonyms: see Thesaurus:fashionable
    Why do you always wear a tie? Don't be such a square!
    • 1949 March 11, “R.S.V.P.”, in Courier, volume xv, number 9, Harvey, IL: Thornton Junior College, page 3:
      Good looks are important, but good looks don't hold if he's a square.
    • 1957, Frank Slay, Bob Crewe (lyrics and music), “Daddy Cool”, performed by The Rays:
      She said: Wow! What a square! Don't you dig the scene? / Daddy Cool's playing his piano machine!
    • 1957, “Jailhouse Rock”, Elvis Presley (music):
      The sad sack was a sitting on a block of stone
      Way over in the corner weepin' all alone.
      The warden said, hey, buddy, don't you be no square
      If you can't find a partner, use a wooden chair.
  8. (British) The symbol # on a telephone; hash.
    Enter your account number followed by a square.
    Synonyms: hash, sharp, (US) pound sign
  9. (cricket) The central area of a cricket field, with one or more pitches of which only one is used at a time.
    An ideal playing area is roughly circular in shape with a central area, the cricket square, measuring 27.44 metres by 27.44 metres and boundaries 45.75 metres from the sides of the square.
  10. (real estate) A unit of measurement of area, equal to a 10 foot by 10 foot square, i.e. 100 square feet or roughly 9.3 square metres. Used in real estate for the size of a house or its rooms, though progressively being replaced by square metres in metric countries such as Australia.
    • 2006, Macquarie Bank (Australia), press release Macquarie releases Real Estate Market Outlook 2006 - "The World Squared", 21 June 2006
      Just as the basic unit of real estate measurement across the world is the square
    • 2007, Your Estate advertisement for Grindelwald Tasmania
      The house is very large and open and boasts 39 squares of living space plus over 13 squares of decking area on 3 sides and 17 squares of garage and workshop downstairs.
  11. (roofing) A unit used in measuring roof area equivalent to 100 square feet (9.29 m²) of roof area. The materials for roofing jobs are often billed by the square in the United States.
  12. (academia) A mortarboard.
  13. (colloquial, US) Ellipsis of square meal.
    Even when times were tough, we got three squares a day.
  14. (archaic) Exact proportion; justness of workmanship and conduct; regularity; rule.
  15. The relation of harmony, or exact agreement; equality; level.
  16. (astrology) The position of planets distant ninety degrees from each other; a quadrate.
  17. (dated) The act of squaring, or quarrelling; a quarrel.
  18. (slang) Cigarette.
  19. (brewing) A vat used for fermentation.
  20. (slang, MLE) A well-defined torso.
    • 2019 July 24, “No Feelings”, Quezgo (lyrics)‎Link Up TV, 0:14–0:19:
      She wanna talk about feelings
      But I don't believe in love
      Just give me your square
    • 2021 September 29, “Bars At The Sesh [S3.E7]”, #D15 Trigz (lyrics)‎Dearfxch TV, 1:05–1:08:
      I don’t really care about them man there
      Tell the bad b “just swing your square”
    • 2021 November 18, “I Love to Scam”, Tankz (lyrics)‎, 2:01–2:10:
      Get on your knees and suck this dick
      Get on your knees and slop this quick
      Bro knows I could never put trust in a bitch (Never)
      Me and Tz like Lilo ’n Stitch
      So don’t hesitate to swing me your shit
      Yeah, swing your square

Derived terms

Descendants
  • → Welsh: sgwâr

Translations
body of troops in a square formation
mortarboard — see mortarboard
square meal — see square meal
astrology — see quadrate
act quarrelling — see quarrel
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Adjective

square (comparative squarer, superlative squarest)

  1. Shaped like a square (the polygon).
    Hypernyms: rectangular, polygonal
    Coordinate terms: circular, oval, triangular, trapezoidal, rectangular, rhomboid
  2. Forming a right angle (90°).
    • 2017, Julia Rai, Making Metal Clay Jewellery:
      Take care to make the cut completely square to the edges of the wire to give a good butt join for the ends of the wire.
    a square corner
    Synonyms: orthogonal, perpendicular, normal
    Antonyms: crooked, out of square, oblique
    1. (of box-shaped objects such as buildings or metal frames) Forming right angles in all planes as intended; not racked or leaning.
      • 2019, Bruce W. Herdman, Ozarks Lite:
        The stacks had to be neat and square or the old guy grumbled and insisted on getting it just so.
      The foundation has to be level and the framing has to be square.
      Antonyms: out of square, crooked, racked
    2. (nautical) Forming right angles with the mast or the keel, and parallel to the horizon; said of the yards of a square-rigged vessel when they are so braced.
  3. Used in the names of units of area formed by multiplying a unit of length by itself.
    square metre
    square mile
    Coordinate terms: cubic, linear
  4. Honest; straightforward; fair.
    I'm just looking for a square deal on my car repair.
    square dealing
    Synonyms: above board, on the level, on the square, on the up and up, straight
    • 1828, Edward Bulwer Lytton Baron Lytton, Pelham, Or, Adventures of a Gentleman:
      Why, you would not be boosing till lightman's in a square crib like mine, as if you were in a flash panny?
    • 1900 [1878], Allan Pinkerton, Criminal Reminiscences and Detective Sketches‎, New York: G. W. Dillingham, page 29:
      I believe you're a good, square man
    • 1908, Perceval Landon, Thurnley Abbey:
      I am not very good at analysing things, but I felt that she talked a little uncomfortably and with a suspicion of effort, smiled rather conventionally, and was obviously glad to go. These things seem trifling enough to repeat, but I had throughout the faint feeling that everything was not square.
  5. Satisfied; comfortable with; not experiencing any conflict.
    • 2007, Lauren Heaton, Holly Bollinger, Catherine Lee Phillips, Susan Gartner, Women of the Harvest, page 63:
      By the confident tone in her voice, you can tell she is square with that.
    • 2009, Ramona Holliday, Winter Murders:
      " […] I will never act on it, but if you're satisfied with the way things are then I am, too. […] So, are we square?”
  6. Even; tied
    to make or leave the accounts square
    • 2000 December 16, “Islanders, Devils Make It Tough For Canadian Teams”, in Bryan Times:
      The teams were square while at even strength. have to play better than even if we want to win games." said Montreal goalie Jose Theodore
    • 2003 April 9, “Lowe Struggles Again In Sox Setback”, in Record-Journal:
      But the Jays were square again by the end of the inning, as Myers hit a 2-and-0 pitch into the left-center field seats
    • 2003 November 24, “Els's mates get better with time”, in The Age, Melbourne, Vic.:
      The sides were square to the 14th hole when Goosen took birdie,
    • 2006 September 23, Jim McCabe, “As usual, Americans trailing after first day”, in The Columbus Dispatch:
      In each of the last three afternoon foursomes, the Americans were square through 15, but could only come in with two halves and a loss.
    The sides were square at the end of the half.
  7. (slang, derogatory) Socially conventional; boring.
    • 1974, Jack Olsen, The Girls on the Campus, page 100:
      It was a square town, but that didn't bother me. I knew I didn't have to live a square life.
    • 1990, A. W. Gray, In Defense of Judges:
      The square Johns lie more than the in-guys do.
    Synonym: bourgeois
  8. (cricket) In line with the batsman's popping crease.
  9. Solid, decent, substantial.
    It may be prison, but at least I'm getting three square meals a day.
    • c. 1613 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Tragedie of Bonduca”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act II, scene iii:
      By Heaven, square eaters. More meat, I say.
    • 1879, United States. Congress, Congressional Record, Volume 9, page 1594:
      It is obvious two o'clock will arrive in about five and a half hours from now, and I presume every gentleman in the House would like to get a square breakfast.
    • 1899 February, “Stray Shots From Solomon”, in Shoe and Leather Journal, volume 12, number 2, page 51:
      If some of you who read this paragraph would quit scheming and get down to honest, square effort this year, your creditors would get their due and your families would be better kept.
    • 1986, Jan Irving, Robin Currie, Mudluscious, page 75:
      "Sarah," said her grandmother. "You should eat a good square meal."
    • 2012, Cathy MacPhail, Worse Than Boys:
      I said that because I didn't want any knives involved, and if Wizzie agreed to a square go now, with half the school listening, she couldn't go back on it.
  10. Having a shape broad for the height, with angular rather than curving outlines.
    a man of a square frame
  11. (automotive) Of an internal combustion engine design, in which the diameter of the piston is similar, roughly, approximately, equal to its stroke distance.
    Coordinate terms: oversquare, undersquare

Derived terms

Translations
fair — see fair
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Adverb

square (comparative more square, superlative most square)

  1. Directly.
    • 2012, Allan A. Zarbock, Nobody, page 211:
      Staash tipped up the rim of his hat and looked me square in the eyes as the cigarette dangled from his lips.

Verb
A squared square (a square tiled with squares)

square (third-person singular simple present squares, present participle squaring, simple past and past participle squared)

  1. (transitive) To adjust so as to align with or place at a right angle to something else; in particular:
    The casting was mounted on a milling machine so that its sides could be squared.
    1. (nautical) To place at a right angle to the mast or keel.
      to square the yards
    2. (rowing) To rotate the oars so that they are perpendicular to the water.
  2. (transitive, intransitive) To resolve or reconcile; to suit or fit.
    John can square this question up for us.
    These results just don't square with what we expected.
    • 2006, Gary Chartier, “Non-Human Animals and Process Theodicy”, in Religious Studies‎, volume 41, number 1, page 10:
      […] the process theist may not regard the killing of non-human animals for food or other reasons as generally acceptable. Call the process thinker who regards the killing of non-human animals for food as (usually) morally wrong a zoophile. Even if the zoophile regards human beings as more capable of experience and insight than another animals, and as therefore more valuable than other animals, she may regard non-human animals as moral patients. She may well not regard predatory animals as full moral agents; she will then have no reason to see their killing of other animals for food as itself morally wrong, because predators are not themselves subject to moral assessments. But she may still find it difficult to square God's encouragement of predation with an attractive account of divine goodness.
  3. (transitive) To adjust or adapt so as to bring into harmony with something.
    I cannot square the results of the experiment with my hypothesis.
    to square our actions by the opinions of others
  4. (transitive, mathematics) Of a value, term, or expression, to multiply by itself; to raise to the second power.
  5. (transitive, geometry) To draw, with a pair of compasses and a straightedge only, a square with the same area as.
    square the circle
  6. (transitive, geometry) To tile (completely fill) with squares.
  7. (soccer) To make a short low pass sideways across the pitch
    • 2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton”, in BBC Sport‎:
      First, former Toffee Mikel Arteta sent Walcott racing clear but instead of shooting he squared towards Ramsey, who was foiled by Tony Hibbert.
  8. (archaic) To take opposing sides; to quarrel.
  9. To accord or agree exactly; to be consistent with; to suit; to fit.
    • 1782, William Cowper, Charity:
      No works shall find acceptance […] that square not truly with the Scripture plan.
  10. (obsolete) To go to opposite sides; to take an attitude of offense or defense, or of defiance; to quarrel.
  11. To take a boxing attitude; often with up or off.
  12. To form with four sides and four right angles.
  13. To form with right angles and straight lines, or flat surfaces.
    to square mason's work
    • 2002, William Boyd, Any Human Heart:
      Everything on his writing desk was squared off: blotter, paper knife, pen rack.
  14. To compare with, or reduce to, any given measure or standard.
  15. (astrology) To hold a quartile position respecting.
    • 1697, Thomas Creech, The five books of M. Manilius containing a system of the ancient astronomy and astrology, done into English verse:
      the icy Goat, the Crab that square the Scales

Derived terms

Translations
to take opposing sides — see quarrel

See also

Further reading

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English square. Doublet of équerre.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /skwaʁ/
  • Audio(file)

Noun

square m (plural squares)

  1. small public garden in the middle of a square
    le square de la tour Saint-Jacques
    the park surrounding the Tour Saint-Jacques

Further reading

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old French esquarre, esquerre (modern French équerre), from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from Latin ex- +‎ quadro, from quadrus.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈskwaːr(ə)/, /ˈskwɛːr(ə)/, /ˈskwiːr(ə)/

Noun

square (plural squares)

  1. A square (tool used to ensure a right angle)
  2. A square (equilateral rectangle); a square plot of land.
  3. One of the edges of a square.
  4. In late medieval English, an esquire.

Descendants

References
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