square

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
square/skweə(r)/

▶noun

• 1 a plane figure with four equal straight sides and four right angles.

  ■ something that is the shape of a square or a cube.

  ■ historical a body of infantry drawn up in rectangular form.

• 2 an open, typically four-sided, area surrounded by buildings.

  ■ Cricket a closer-cut area at the centre of a ground, any strip of which may be prepared as a wicket.

  ■ an area within a military barracks or camp used for drill.

  ■ US a block of buildings bounded by four streets.

• 3 the product of a number multiplied by itself.

• 4 an L-shaped or T-shaped instrument used for obtaining or testing right angles.

• 5 informal a person considered to be old-fashioned or boringly conventional.

• 6 a unit of 100 square ft used as a measure of flooring, roofing, etc.

• 7 Astrology an aspect of 90° (one quarter of a circle).

▶adjective

• 1 having the shape or approximate shape of a square.

  ■ having or forming a right angle, exactly or approximately.

• 2 denoting a unit of measurement equal to the area of a square whose side is of the unit specified.

  ■ [postpos.] denoting the length of each side of a square shape or object.

• 3 at right angles.

  ■ Cricket & Soccer in a direction transversely across the field or pitch.

• 4 broad and solid in shape.

• 5 level or parallel.

  ■ properly arranged.

  ■ on even terms.

• 6 fair and honest.

• 7 informal old-fashioned or boringly conventional.

• 8 (of rhythm) simple and straightforward.

▶adverb

• 1 directly; straight.

• 2 Cricket & Soccer in a direction transversely across the field or pitch.

▶verb

• 1 make square or rectangular.

  ■ (usu. as adj. squared) mark out in squares.

• 2 multiply (a number) by itself.

• 3 make or be compatible.

• 4 balance (an account) or settle (a bill or debt).

  ■ make the score of (a match or game) even.

• 5 informal secure the help or acquiescence of (someone), especially by offering an inducement.

• 6 bring (one's shoulders) into a position in which they appear square and broad.

• 7 Sailing set (a yard or other part of a ship) at right angles to the keel or other point of reference.

• 8 Astrology (of a planet) have a square aspect with (another planet or position).

– phrases
back to (or at) square one informal back to where one started, with no progress having been made.
on the square

• 1 informal honest; straightforward.

• 2 having membership of the Freemasons.

out of square not at right angles.
square the circle

• 1 construct a square equal in area to a given circle (a problem incapable of a purely geometrical solution).

• 2 do something considered to be impossible.

a square deal see deal1.
a square peg in a round hole see peg.

– phrasal verbs
square something away N. Amer. deal with something in a satisfactory way.
square off

• 1 N. Amer. another way of saying square up below.

• 2 Austral./NZ settle a difference.

square someone off Austral./NZ placate someone.
square up

• 1 assume the attitude of a person about to fight.

• 2 (square up to) face and tackle (a difficulty) resolutely.

– derivatives
squareness noun,
squarer noun,
squarish adjective.

– origin ME: shortening of OFr. esquare (n.), esquarre (past part.), esquarrer (v.), based on L. quadra ‘square’.