SQUARE


Meaning of SQUARE in English

I. ˈskwer 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 square s a day

- on the square

- out of square

II. adjective

( squar·er ; squar·est )

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

• square·ness noun

III. verb

( squared ; squar·ing )

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

• squar·er 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

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.