square

square1 [ skwer ] noun count ***

1. ) a shape with four straight sides of equal length and four corners called right angles:

The garden has flower beds that form a perfect square.

a ) a piece of something shaped like a square:

Cut the fabric into squares.

a square of carpet/fabric/glass

b ) one of the small sections that the board is divided into in games such as CHESS and CHECKERS

2. ) the number that is the result of multiplying one number by itself:

The square of 3 is 9.

3. ) an open area of land in the shape of a square, usually with buildings around it. Square is often used in the names of roads and can be written Sq.:

There are one or two good hotels in the main square.

They have an office near Times Square.

4. ) INFORMAL someone who is boring because they do not wear fashionable clothes or have fashionable interests

back to/at square one

in the same situation you were in before you started to do something, with no progress made:

The deal collapses and you're back to square one.

square

square 2 [ skwer ] adjective **

▸ 1 in shape of square

▸ 2 for units of area

▸ 3 straight/parallel

▸ 4 not owing each other

▸ 5 boring & not fashionable

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) in the shape of a square:

a small square garden

a ) with edges or corners that are not as curved as usual:

He had full lips and a square jaw.

He was short with broad square shoulders.

2. ) used for talking about units for measuring the area of something:

The police have an area of over 200 square miles to search.

The room couldn't have been more than four yards square.

3. ) straight, or parallel with something straight:

Place the pieces together and make sure the edges are square.

The corners aren't square.

4. ) INFORMAL if two people are square, neither person owes the other anything:

You give me back six dollars and then we'll be square.

5. ) INFORMAL someone who is square is boring because they do not wear fashionable clothes or have fashionable interests

all square MAINLY BRITISH

if a game is all square, both teams or players have the same number of points

a square deal INFORMAL

fair treatment:

Most of the workers think they're getting a square deal.

a square peg in a round hole INFORMAL

someone or something that does not suit the position or situation they are in

=> FAIR1

square

square 3 [ skwer ] verb transitive *

1. ) usually passive a number that is squared is multiplied by itself:

It is equal to five squared plus one.

2. ) MAINLY BRITISH to score the same number of points as another player or team, so that no one wins a match or series of matches:

They fought back to square the match at three-all.

3. ) BRITISH to hit or kick a ball to someone level with you, not in front or behind

square the circle BRITISH INFORMAL

to do something that is very difficult or impossible

square your shoulders

1. ) to move your shoulders back and make your back straight

2. ) MAINLY BRITISH INFORMAL to prepare to deal with something difficult in a determined way, or show people that you are prepared

,square a`way phrasal verb transitive AMERICAN

to do the things necessary to complete something:

The project should be squared away in the spring.

,square `off phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive AMERICAN if two people square off, they prepare to start competing or fighting with each other

2. ) transitive to make something such as an edge or corner straight

,square `up phrasal verb intransitive

if two people square up, one pays what they owe so that both people are equal

,square `up to phrasal verb transitive

square up to something/someone to start to deal with something or someone in a brave and determined way:

They squared up admirably to a very difficult situation.

`square with phrasal verb transitive

1. ) something squares with something square something with something if one idea, opinion, explanation, etc. squares with another, they both seem good or reasonable:

Her story doesn't quite square with what the first witness said.

It was difficult to square this behavior with his religious beliefs.

Does this explanation square up with the results of the survey?

2. ) square something with someone to get permission from someone to do something:

I'll have to square it with the manager first.

square

square 4 [ skwer ] adverb

directly:

She was unable to look me square in the eye.

He hit it square in the middle of the net.