square
[ skwair ]
/ skwɛər /
noun
a rectangle having all four sides of equal length.
anything having this form or a form approximating it, as a city block, rectangular piece of candy, etc.
an open area or plaza in a city or town, formed by the meeting or intersecting of two or more streets and often planted with grass, trees, etc., in the center.
a rectangularly shaped area on a game board, as in chess or checkers.
a try square, T square, or the like.
Mathematics.
- the second power of a quantity, expressed as a2 = a × a, where a is the quantity.
- a quantity that is the second power of another: Four is the square of two.
Slang.
a person who is ignorant of or uninterested in current fads, ideas, manners, tastes, etc.; an old-fashioned, conventional, or conservative person.
Military.
(formerly) a body of troops drawn up in quadrilateral form.
Building Trades.
a unit of measure for roofing materials, equal to 100 square feet (9.3 sq. m).
a flower bud of the cotton plant.
Nautical.
the area at the bottom of a hatchway.
Usually squares. Informal.
a square meal: to get three squares a day.
Astrology.
a situation in which two heavenly bodies or groups of heavenly bodies have celestial longitudes differing by 90 degrees, an aspect indicative of internal tension with an equally strong and conflicting need for adjustment.
Obsolete.
a pattern, standard, or example.
verb (used with object), squared, squar·ing.
to reduce to square, rectangular, or cubical form (often followed by off): He squared off the log to make a timber for his house.
to mark out in one or more squares or rectangles.
to test with measuring devices for deviation from a right angle, straight line, or plane surface.
Mathematics.
- to multiply (a number or quantity) by itself; raise to the second power.
- to describe or find a square that is equivalent in area to: to square a circle.
to bring to the form of a right angle or right angles; set at right angles to something else.
to even the score of (a contest): to square a game.
to set (the shoulders and back) in an erect posture so they form an angle similar to a right angle.
to make straight, level, or even: Square the cloth on the table.
to regulate, as by a standard; adapt; adjust.
to adjust harmoniously or satisfactorily (often followed by with): How could you square such actions with your conscience?
to balance; pay off; settle: to square a debt.
Slang.
to secure a desired action or attitude by means of bribery; bribe.
verb (used without object), squared, squar·ing.
to accord or agree (often followed by with): Your theory does not square with the facts.
to settle, even, or balance a matter, as by paying a bill, returning a favor, or tying a score.
(of a cotton plant) to form buds.
adjective, squar·er, squar·est.
formed by or as a right angle; having some part or parts rectangular: a square corner.
having four sides and four right angles in two dimensions or three pairs of parallel sides meeting at right angles in three dimensions; having each dimension in the shape of a square or rectangle and all angles right angles: a square box.
noting any unit of area measurement having the form of a square and designated by a unit of linear measurement forming a side of the square: one square foot.
noting a system of area measurement in terms of such units.
(of an area) equal to a square of a specified length on a side: five miles square.
at right angles, or perpendicular.
Nautical.
at right angles to the mast and the keel, as a yard.
having a square or rectangular section: a square bar.
having a solid, sturdy form, especially when characterized by a rectilinear or angular outline.
straight, level, or even, as a surface.
leaving no balance of debt on either side; having all accounts settled: I'm all square with my landlord.
just, fair, or honest.
straightforward, direct, or unequivocal.
Slang.
conventional or conservative in style or outlook; not hip.
adverb
so as to be square; in square or rectangular form.
at right angles.
fairly or honestly.
directly or straightforwardly.
Verb Phrases
square around, Baseball.
(of a bunter) to shift the feet and body from a conventional batting stance to a position facing the pitcher, with the bat held across and in front of the body.
square away,
- Nautical. to arrange the yards so as to sail before the wind.
- to prepare; get ready: Square away for dinner.
- to assume a position of defense or offense: The wrestlers squared away for the first fall.
- to organize or complete satisfactorily; put in order: I want to square away the work before going on vacation.
square off,
- to assume a posture of defense or offense, as in boxing: They squared off for a fight.
- to prepare to dispute with another; show signs of opposition or resistance: The governor and the legislature are squaring off over the landfill issue.
square up,
to pay or settle an account, bill, etc.: We squared up with the cashier and checked out of the hotel.
Idioms for square
- at right angles.
- Informal. straightforward; honest; just: Their dealings with us have always been on the square.
- not at right angles.
- not in agreement; incorrect; irregular: The inspector's conclusions are out of square with his earlier report.
on the square,
out of square,
square the circle,
to strive without chance of success; attempt the impossible.
Origin of square
1250–1300; (noun) Middle English < Old French
esquar(r)e < Vulgar Latin
*exquadra, derivative of
*exquadrāre (Latin
ex-
ex-1 +
quadrāre to square; see
quadrate); (v.) Middle English
squaren < Old French
esquarrer < Vulgar Latin
*exquadrāre; (adj.) Middle English < Old French
esquarré, past participle of
esquarrer; (adv.) derivative of the adj.
SYNONYMS FOR square
OTHER WORDS FROM square
squar·a·ble, adjective
square·like, adjective
square·ness, noun
squar·er, noun
un·squar·a·ble, adjective
un·squared, adjective
Words nearby square
Words related to square
rectangular,
center,
space,
plaza,
area,
green,
circle,
even,
fair,
straight,
equal,
objective,
upright,
nonpartisan,
sporting,
quadrate,
quadratic,
equilateral,
foursquare,
dated
Example sentences from the Web for square
Some longtime local acquaintances are struggling to square the man they know with the ugly associations.
No. 3 Republican Admits Talking to White Supremacist Conference |Tim Mak |December 30, 2014 |DAILY BEASTRecords describe this house as 6,916 square feet, with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
The Luxury Homes That Torture and Your Tax Dollars Built |Michael Daly |December 12, 2014 |DAILY BEASTIn the afternoon, about a thousand people marched in protest through the largest Prague square, with police nowhere in sight.
They came from all over the city, by the thousands, to converge on the square.
Eric Garner Protests: ‘It’s Like Vietnam’ |Abby Haglage, Caitlin Dickson, Jacob Siegel, Chris Allbritton |December 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
On a lightly floured board, roll each pastry to an 11-inch square.
Crossing the square where the Tacon theatre and circus stand, I wander through the narrow, ill-paved streets of the Cuban capital.
The Pearl of the Antilles, or An Artist in Cuba |Walter GoodmanLay on different parts of the skin a small, square piece of paper with a small central hole in it.
A Practical Physiology |Albert F. BlaisdellBe square with yourself; be square to the man who is after your heart.
Think |Col. Wm. C. HunterFoulon is carried off; dragged across the square, and hung to the lamp post.
The Origins of Contemporary France, Volume 2 (of 6) |Hippolyte A. TaineNow you have become a journeyman and must accept the responsibility yourself for doing things according to plumb-line and square.
Pelle the Conqueror, Complete |Martin Anderson Nexo
British Dictionary definitions for square
square
/ (skwɛə) /
noun
any object, part, or arrangement having this or a similar shape
a square of carpet; a square on a chess board
(capital when part of name)
an open area in a town, sometimes including the surrounding buildings, which may form a square
maths
the product of two equal factors; the second power
9 is the square of 3, written 3²
an instrument having two strips of wood, metal, etc, set in the shape of a T or L, used for constructing or testing right angles
cricket
the closely-cut area in the middle of a ground on which wickets are prepared
a body of soldiers drawn up in the form of a square
rowing
the position of the blade of an oar perpendicular to the surface of the water just before and during a stroke
informal
a person who is old-fashioned in views, customs, appearance, etc
astrology
an aspect of about 90° between two planets, etc
See conjunction (def. 5), opposition (def. 9), trine (def. 1)
obsolete
a standard, pattern, or rule
back to square one
indicating a return to the starting-point of an investigation, experiment, etc, because of failure, lack of progress, etc
on the square
- at right angles
- on equal terms
- informal honestly and openly
- slang a phrase identifying someone as a Freemasonhe is on the square
out of square
- not at right angles or not having a right angle
- not in order or agreement
adjective
being a square in shape
having or forming one or more right angles or being at right angles to something
square or rectangular in section
a square bar
- (prenominal) denoting a measure of area of any shapea circle of four square feet
- (immediately postpositive) denoting a square having a specified length on each sidea board four feet square contains 16 square feet
fair and honest (esp in the phrase a square deal)
straight, even, or level
a square surface
cricket
at right angles to the wicket
square leg
sport
in a straight line across the pitch
a square pass
nautical
(of the sails of a square-rigger) set at right angles to the keel
informal
old-fashioned in views, customs, appearance, etc
stocky or sturdy
square shoulders
(postpositive)
having no remaining debts or accounts to be settled
(of a horse's gait) sound, steady, or regular
(prenominal)
unequivocal or straightforward
a square contradiction
(postpositive)
neat and tidy
maths
(of a matrix) having the same number of rows and columns
all square
on equal terms; even in score
square peg or square peg in a round hole informal
a person or thing that is a misfit, such as an employee in a job for which he is unsuited
verb (mainly tr)
to make into a square or similar shape
maths
to raise (a number or quantity) to the second power
to test or adjust for deviation with respect to a right angle, plane surface, etc
(sometimes foll by off)
to divide into squares
to position so as to be rectangular, straight, or level
square the shoulders
(sometimes foll by up)
to settle (debts, accounts, etc)
to level (the score) in a game, etc
(also intr often foll by with)
to agree or cause to agree
your ideas don't square with mine
rowing
to turn (an oar) perpendicular to the surface of the water just before commencing a stroke
(in canoeing) to turn (a paddle) perpendicular to the direction of the canoe at the commencement of a stroke
Compare feather (def. 15)
to arrange (something), esp by a corrupt method or come to an arrangement with (someone), as by bribery
square the circle
to attempt the impossible (in reference to the insoluble problem of constructing a square having exactly the same area as a given circle)
adverb
in order to be square
at right angles
sport
in a straight line across the pitch
pass the ball square
informal
squarely
Derived forms of square
squareness, noun squarer, noun squarish, adjectiveWord Origin for square
C13: from Old French
esquare, from Vulgar Latin
exquadra (unattested), from Latin
ex
1 +
quadrāre to make square; see
quadrant
Scientific definitions for square
square
[ skwâr ]
Noun
A rectangle having four equal sides.
The product that results when a number or quantity is multiplied by itself. The square of 8, for example, is 64.
Adjective
Of, being, or using units that express the measure of area.
Verb
To multiply a number, quantity, or expression by itself.
Cultural definitions for square
square
A number multiplied by itself, or raised to the second power. The square of three is nine; the square of nine is eighty-one.
Idioms and Phrases with square
square
In addition to the idioms beginning with square
- square away
- square deal
- square meal, a
- square off
- square one's shoulders
- square peg in a round hole
- square the circle
- square up
- square with
also see:
- back to the drawing board (square one)
- fair and square
- on the square
- round peg in a square hole
- shoot straight (square)