square
square [square squares squared squaring squarer squarest] adjective, noun, verb, adverb BrE [skweə(r)] NAmE [skwer]
adjective
SHAPE
1. (geometry)having four straight equal sides and four angles of 90°
•a square room
2. forming an angle of 90° exactly or approximately
• The book had rounded, not square, corners.
•square shoulders
• He had a firm, square jaw.
MEASUREMENT
3. used after a unit of measurement to say that sth measures the same amount on each of four sides
•a carpet four metres square
4. (abbr.sq)used after a number to give a measurement of area
•an area of 36 square metres
BROAD/SOLID
5. used to describe sth that is broad or that looks solid in shape
•a man of square build
see also ↑four-square
LEVEL/PARALLEL
6. not before noun ~ (with sth) level with or parallel to sth
•tables arranged square with the wall
WITH MONEY
7. (informal)if two people are square, neither of them owes money to the other
•Here's the £10 I owe you— now we're square.
IN SPORT
8. ~ (with sb) if two teams are square, they have the same number of points
•The teams were all square at half-time.
FAIR/HONEST
9. fair or honest, especially in business matters
•a square deal
•Are you being square with me?
IN AGREEMENT
10. ~ with sth in agreement with sth
•That isn't quite square with what you said yesterday.
BORING
11. (informal, disapproving) (of a person)considered to be boring, for example because they are old-fashioned or work too hard at school
Word Origin:
Middle English: shortening of Old French esquare (noun), esquarre (past participle, used as an adjective), esquarrer (verb), based on Latin quadra ‘square’.
Example Bank:
•The rooms are all very square.
Idioms: ↑back to square one ▪ ↑square meal ▪ ↑square peg
Derived: ↑square off ▪ ↑square something away ▪ ↑square something with somebody ▪ ↑square something with something ▪ ↑square up ▪ ↑square with something
noun 
SHAPE
1. countable a shape with four straight sides of equal length and four angles of 90°; a piece of sth that has this shape
• First break the chocolate into squares.
• The floor was tiled in squares of grey and white marble.
see also ↑set square, ↑T-square
IN TOWN
2. countable an open area in a town, usually with four sides, surrounded by buildings
• The hotel is just off the main square.
•the market/town/village square
3. Squaresingular (abbr.Sq.) (used in addresses)
• They live at 95 Russell Square.
MATHEMATICS
4. countable the number obtained when you multiply a number by itself
•The square of 7 is 49.
BORING PERSON
5. countable (informal, disapproving)a person who is considered to be boring, for example because they are old-fashioned or because they work too hard at school
Word Origin:
Middle English: shortening of Old French esquare (noun), esquarre (past participle, used as an adjective), esquarrer (verb), based on Latin quadra ‘square’.
Thesaurus:
square noun C
•The hotel is just off the main square.
marketplace • • piazza • • courtyard • |BrE yard • |formal quadrangle •
in/across the square/marketplace/piazza/courtyard/yard/quadrangle
the central/main square/courtyard/yard/quadrangle
a cobbled square/courtyard/yard
Example Bank:
•A square of light shone from the skylight.
•Cut the sandwiches into neat squares.
•The crowd filled the square.
•crowds in the market square
•the east side of the square
•The hotel is just off the main square.
•The next day, a large crowd gathered in the market square.
verb
SHAPE
1. to make sth have straight edges and corners
•~ sth It was like trying to square a circle. That is, it was impossible.
•~ sth off The boat is rounded at the front but squared off at the back.
MATHEMATICS
2. usually passive ~ sth to multiply a number by itself
•Three squared is written 3 2.
•Four squared equals 16.
SHOULDERS
3. ~ yourself/your shoulders to make your back and shoulders straight to show you are ready or determined to do sth
•Bruno squared himself to face the waiting journalists.
IN SPORT
4. ~ sth (especially BrE)to make the number of points you have scored in a game or competition equal to those of your opponents
•His goal squared the game 1–1.
PAY MONEY
5. ~ sb (informal)to pay money to sb in order to get their help
•They must have squared the mayor before they got their plan underway.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Middle English: shortening of Old French esquare (noun), esquarre (past participle, used as an adjective), esquarrer (verb), based on Latin quadra ‘square’.
adverb (only used after the verb)
directly; not at an angle
Syn: ↑squarely
• I looked her square in the face.
• He hit me square on the jaw.
see fair and square at ↑fair adv.
Word Origin:
Middle English: shortening of Old French esquare (noun), esquarre (past participle, used as an adjective), esquarrer (verb), based on Latin quadra ‘square’.
|
|
