square

n. [ OF. esquarre, esquierre, F. équerre 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, anything which is square, or nearly so; as: (a) A square piece or fragment. [ 1913 Webster ]

He bolted his food down his capacious throat in squares of three inches. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

(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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The statue of Alexander VII. stands in the large square of the town. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Hence, a pattern or rule. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Arith. & Alg.) The product of a number or quantity multiplied by itself; thus, 64 is the square of 8, for 8 × 8 = 64; the square of a + b is a2 + 2ab + b2. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Exact proportion; justness of workmanship and conduct; regularity; rule. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They of Galatia [ were ] much more out of square. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have not kept my square. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Fig.: The relation of harmony, or exact agreement; equality; level. [ 1913 Webster ]

We live not on the square with such as these. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Astrol.) The position of planets distant ninety degrees from each other; a quadrate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

11. The act of squaring, or quarreling; a quarrel. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

12. The front of a woman's dress over the bosom, usually worked or embroidered. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Geom.) Having four equal sides and four right angles; as, a square figure. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Forming a right angle; as, a square corner. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having a shape broad for the height, with rectilineal and angular rather than curving outlines; as, a man of a square frame. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Exactly suitable or correspondent; true; just. [ 1913 Webster ]

She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Rendering equal justice; exact; fair; honest; as, square dealing. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Even; leaving no balance; as, to make or leave the accounts square. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Leaving nothing; hearty; vigorous. [ 1913 Webster ]

By Heaven, square eaters.
More meat, I say. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Naut.) At right angles with the mast or the keel, and parallel to the horizon; -- said of the yards of a square-rigged vessel when they are so braced. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Square is often used in self-explaining compounds or combinations, as in square-built, square-cornered, square-cut, square-nosed, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Square foot, an area equal to that of a square the sides of which are twelve inches; 144 square inches. --
Square knot, a knot in which the terminal and standing parts are parallel to each other; a reef knot. See Illust. under Knot. --
Square measure, the measure of a superficies or surface which depends on the length and breadth taken conjointly. The units of square measure are squares whose sides are the linear measures; as, square inches, square feet, square meters, etc. --
Square number. See Square, n., 6. --
Square root of a number or
Square root of a quantity (Math.), that number or quantity which, multiplied by itself, produces the given number or quantity. --
Square sail (Naut.), a four-sided sail extended upon a yard suspended by the middle; sometimes, the foresail of a schooner set upon a yard; also, a cutter's or sloop's sail boomed out. See Illust. of Sail. --
Square stern (Naut.), a stern having a transom and joining the counter timbers at an angle, as distinguished from a round stern, which has no transom. --
Three-square,
Five-square, etc., having three, five, etc., equal sides; as, a three-square file. --
To get square with, to get even with; to pay off. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Squared p. pr. & vb. n. Squaring. ] [ Cf. OF. escarrer, esquarrer. See Square, n. ] 1. To form with four equal sides and four right angles. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To form with right angles and straight lines, or flat surfaces; as, to square masons' work. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To compare with, or reduce to, any given measure or standard. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To adjust; to regulate; to mold; to shape; to fit; as, to square our actions by the opinions of others. [ 1913 Webster ]

Square my trial
To my proportioned strength. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To make even, so as to leave no remainder or difference; to balance; as, to square accounts. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Math.) To multiply by itself; as, to square a number or a quantity. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Astrol.) To hold a quartile position respecting. [ 1913 Webster ]

The icy Goat and Crab that square the Scales. Creech. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Naut.) To place at right angles with the keel; as, to square the yards. [ 1913 Webster ]

To square one's shoulders, to raise the shoulders so as to give them a square appearance, -- a movement expressing contempt or dislike. Sir W. Scott. --
To square the circle (Math.), to determine the exact contents of a circle in square measure. The solution of this famous problem is now generally admitted to be impossible. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To accord or agree exactly; to be consistent with; to conform or agree; to suit; to fit. [ 1913 Webster ]

No works shall find acceptance . . .
That square not truly with the Scripture plan. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To go to opposite sides; to take an attitude of offense or defense, or of defiance; to quarrel. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Are you such fools
To square for this? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To take a boxing attitude; -- often with up, sometimes with off. [ Colloq. ] Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a square form or manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being square; as, an instrument to try the squareness of work. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, squares. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who squares, or quarrels; a hot-headed, contentious fellow. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Naut.) Having the sails extended upon yards suspended horizontally by the middle, as distinguished from fore-and-aft sails; thus, a ship and a brig are square-rigged vessels. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the toe square. [ 1913 Webster ]

Obsolete as fardingales, ruffs, and square-toed shoes. V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]