square

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French esquarre, from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from *exquadrare to square, from Latin ex- + quadrare to square — more at quadrate Date: 13th century 1. an instrument having at least one right angle and two straight edges used especially to lay out or test right angles 2. a rectangle with all four sides equal 3. any of the quadrilateral spaces marked out on a board for playing games 4. the product of a number multiplied by itself 5. a. an open place or area formed at the meeting of two or more streets b. block 6a 6. a solid object or piece approximating a cube or having a square as its largest face 7. an unopened cotton flower with its enclosing bracts 8. a person who is conventional or conservative in taste or way of life 9. a square meal <

ate three squares a day

> II. adjective (squarer; squarest) Date: 14th century 1. a. having four equal sides and four right angles b. forming a right angle <

square corner

> c. having a square base <

a square pyramid

> 2. raised to the second power 3. a. being approximately a cube <

square cabinet

> b. having a shape that is broad for the height and rectangular rather than curving in outline <

square shoulders

> <

a square, thick, hard-working man — Maria Edgeworth

> c. rectangular and equilateral in section <

square tower

> 4. a. being or converted to a unit of area equal in measure to a square each side of which measures one unit of a specified unit of length <

a square foot

> — see metric system table, weight table b. being of a specified length in each of two equal dimensions <

10 feet square

> 5. a. exactly adjusted ; precisely constructed or aligned b. just, fair <

a square deal

> <

square in all his dealings

> c. leaving no balance ; settled d. even, tied e. substantial, satisfying <

square meal

> f. being unsophisticated, conservative, or conventional 6. set at right angles with the mast and keel — used of the yards of a square-rigged ship • squareness noun III. verb (squared; squaring) Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to make square or rectangular <

square a building stone

> b. to test for deviation from a right angle, straight line, or plane surface 2. to bring approximately to a right angle <

squared his shoulders

> 3. a. to multiply (a number) by itself ; raise to the second power b. to find a square equal in area to <

square a circle

> 4. to regulate or adjust by or to some standard or principle <

square our actions by the opinions of others — John Milton

> 5. a. balance, settle <

square an account

> b. to even the score of 6. to mark off into squares 7. a. to set right ; bring into agreement <

squared their goals with their beliefs

> b. bribe, fix intransitive verb 1. to agree precisely ; correspond <

your actions should square with your words

> 2. to settle matters; especially to pay the bill • squarer noun IV. adverb Date: circa 1582 1. in a straightforward or honest manner 2. a. so as to face or be face-to-face b. at right angles 3. with nothing intervening ; directly <

ran square into it

> 4. in a firm manner <

looked her square in the eye

> 5. in a square shape