From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Square \Square\ (skw[^a]r), n. [OF. esquarre, esquierre, F.
['e]querre a carpenter's square (cf. It. squadra), fr.
(assumed) LL. exquadrare to make square; L. ex + quadrus a
square, fr. quattuor four. See {Four}, and cf. {Quadrant},
{Squad}, {Squire} a square.]
1. (Geom.)
(a) The corner, or angle, of a figure. [Obs.]
(b) A parallelogram having four equal sides and four right
angles.
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2. Hence, anything which is square, or nearly so; as:
(a) A square piece or fragment.
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He bolted his food down his capacious throat in
squares of three inches. --Sir W.
Scott.
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(b) A pane of glass.
(c) (Print.) A certain number of lines, forming a portion
of a column, nearly square; -- used chiefly in
reckoning the prices of advertisements in newspapers.
(d) (Carp.) One hundred superficial feet.
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3. An area of four sides, generally with houses on each side;
sometimes, a solid block of houses; also, an open place or
area for public use, as at the meeting or intersection of
two or more streets.
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The statue of Alexander VII. stands in the large
square of the town. --Addison.
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4. (Mech. & Joinery) An instrument having at least one right
angle and two or more straight edges, used to lay out or
test square work. It is of several forms, as the T square,
the carpenter's square, the try-square., etc.
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5. Hence, a pattern or rule. [Obs.]
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6. (Arith. & Alg.) The product of a number or quantity
multiplied by itself; thus, 64 is the square of 8, for 8
[times] 8 = 64; the square of a + b is a^{2} + 2ab +
b^{2}.
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7. Exact proportion; justness of workmanship and conduct;
regularity; rule. [Obs.]
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They of Galatia [were] much more out of square.
--Hooker.
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I have not kept my square. --Shak.
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8. (Mil.) A body of troops formed in a square, esp. one
formed to resist a charge of cavalry; a squadron. "The
brave squares of war." --Shak.
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9. Fig.: The relation of harmony, or exact agreement;
equality; level.
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We live not on the square with such as these.
--Dryden.
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10. (Astrol.) The position of planets distant ninety degrees
from each other; a quadrate. [Obs.]
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11. The act of squaring, or quarreling; a quarrel. [R.]
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12. The front of a woman's dress over the bosom, usually
worked or embroidered. [Obs.] --Shak.
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{fair and square} in a fair, straightforward, and honest
manner; justly; as, he beat me fair and square.
{Geometrical square}. See {Quadrat}, n., 2.
{Hollow square} (Mil.), a formation of troops in the shape of
a square, each side consisting of four or five ranks, and
the colors, officers, horses, etc., occupying the middle.
{Least square}, {Magic square}, etc. See under {Least},
{Magic}, etc.
{On the square}, or {Upon the square},
(a) in an open, fair manner; honestly, or upon honor;
justly. [Obs or Colloq.]
(b) at right angles.
{On the square with}, or {Upon the square with}, upon
equality with; even with. --Nares.
{To be all squares}, to be all settled. [Colloq.] --Dickens.
{To be at square}, to be in a state of quarreling. [Obs.]
--Nares.
{To break no squares}, to give no offense; to make no
difference. [Obs.]
{To break squares}, to depart from an accustomed order.
[Obs.]
{To see how the squares go}, to see how the game proceeds; --
a phrase taken from the game of chess, the chessboard
being formed with squares. [Obs.] --L'Estrange.
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