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square definition

square (skwer)

noun

  1. a plane figure having four equal sides and four right angles
    1. anything having or approximating this shape a square of cloth
    2. any of the spaces on a board for chess, checkers, etc.
  2. block ()
    1. an open area bounded by, or at the intersection of, several streets, usually used as a park, plaza, etc.
    2. buildings surrounding such an area
  3. an instrument having two sides that form an angle of 90 degrees, used for drawing or testing right angles
  4. a solid piece with at least one face that is a square to cut a cake into squares
  5. the product of a number or quantity multiplied by itself 9 is the square of 3
  6. Informal a square meal three squares a day
  7. Slang a person who is square ()

Etymology: ME < OFr esquarre < VL *exquadra < *exquadrare, to make square < L ex, out + quadrare, to square < quadrus, a square < base of quattuor, four

transitive verb squared, squaring squar′·ing

    1. to make into a square; make square
    2. to make into any rectangle
  1. to test or adjust with regard to straightness or evenness to square a surface with a straightedge
  2. to bring to or near to the form of a right angle to square one's shoulders
    1. to settle; adjust; make right or even to square accounts
    2. to adjust or settle the accounts of to square oneself with another
  3. to make equal to square the score of a game
  4. to bring into agreement; make conform to square a statement with the facts
  5. to mark off (a surface) in a series of connected squares
  6. to bring into the correct position, as with reference to a line, course, etc.
  7. to multiply (a number or quantity) by itself
  8. to determine the square that is equal in area to (a figure)
  9. Slang to bribe

Etymology: ME squaren < OFr esquarrer < VL *exquadrare

intransitive verb

to fit; agree; accord (with)

Etymology: ME < OFr esquarre, pp. of esquarrer

adjective squarer squar′er, squarest squar′·est

    1. having four equal sides and four right angles
    2. more or less cubical; rectangular and three-dimensional, as a box
  1. forming a right angle, or having a rectangular part or parts
  2. correctly adjusted or positioned; straight, level, even, etc.
    1. leaving no balance; balanced; even
    2. even in score; tied
  3. just; fair; honest
  4. clear; direct; straightforward; unequivocal a square refusal
    1. designating or of a unit of surface measure in the form of a square having sides of a specified length
    2. given or stated in terms of such surface measure
  5. having a shape broad for its length or height, with a solid, sturdy appearance, and somewhat rectangular or rectilinear a square jaw
  6. square or rectangular in cross section, as some files
  7. designating a number that is the product of another number multiplied by itself
  8. Informal satisfying; solid; substantial a square meal
  9. Slang not conversant with the current fads, styles, slang, etc.; old-fashioned, unsophisticated, conservative, etc.
  10. Naut. at right angles to the keel and mast, as the yards of a square-rigged ship

adverb squarer squar′er, squarest squar′·est

  1. honestly; fairly; justly
  2. so as to be or form a square; at right angles
  3. directly; exactly
  4. so as to face
  5. firmly; solidly

Related Forms:

square Idioms

on the square

  1. at right angles (to something specified)
  2. Informal honest(ly), fair(ly), genuine(ly), etc.

out of square

  1. not at right angles (with something specified)
  2. Informal not in harmony, order, or agreement

square away

  1. to bring a ship's yards around so as to sail directly before the wind
  2. square off
  3. Informal to get ready; put in order

square off

to assume a posture of attack or self-defense, as in boxing

square oneself

Informal to make amends for damage, a wrong, hurt, etc. done by oneself to another

square the circle

  1. to construct or find a square equal in area to a given circle: an insoluble problem in Euclidean geometry
  2. to do or attempt something that seems impossible

square up

  1. to make a settlement, as by paying, balancing accounts, etc.
  2. to assume a posture of opposition (to an adversary)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
square Synonyms

square

modif.

  1. Having right angles

    right-angled, four-sided, equal-sided, foursquare, squared, equilateral, rectangular, rectilinear.

  2. *Old-fashioned

    dated, stuffy, conventional, conformist, boring; see also conservative, dull 3, old-fashioned.


square

n.

  1. A rectangle

    equal-sided rectangle, plane figure, rectilinear plane; see rectangle.

  2. A park

    city center, civic center, intersection, plaza, traffic circle, open space, recreational area; see also park 1.

on the square

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

square Usage Examples

Preposition: on

  • underlay: Place the black felt square on the white underlay and smooth it out.

Adjective modifier

  • 10km: The aims of the survey are: To establish presence/absence of each species of wild deer in 10km squares in the UK.

Converse of object

  • overlook: Best room: number one overlooking the Georgian square.

Modifies a noun

  • meter: Here, there will be over 50,000 square meters of such uses.

Noun used with modifier

  • km: The third element was a field study of habitats, flora and fauna on a random sample of paired 1 km squares.
square usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

square quotes

When I have pointed out one corner of a square to anyoneand he doesnotcome back withthe other three, I will not point it out to him a second time.

-Confucius or K'ung Fu-tse,'The MasterK'ung'

Heavenly weather. If life was always like that.Cricket weather. Sit around under sunshades.Over after over. Out. They can't play it here. Still,Captain Buller broke a window in Kildare Street Club with a slog to square leg.

-Joyce,James Augustine Aloysius

So 'ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan; You're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man; An''ere's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your 'ayrick 'ead of 'airö You big black boundin' beggaröfor you broke a British square!

-Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard

square quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"square." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/square>

APA Style

square. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/square

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