square

SaySKWAIR/skwɛɹ/UK/skwɛə//skweː/

Pluralsquares

Adjectivesquarer, squarest

Verbsquares, squaring, squared

52 meanings of square

Practice

1
geometric figurenouncountable
A flat shape with four straight sides of equal length and four right-angle corners.
Like a window pane with all four sides exactly the same length.
A square has four equal sides.
The child drew a red square on the paper.
Note
2
area unitadjective
Used with a length unit to name a measure of area, such as a square foot.
Like saying how many tiles of one size fit inside a space.
The apartment has about sixty square meters of floor space.
They measured the garden in square feet.
UsageTen square meters is an amount of space. Three meters square means each side is three meters.
3
plazanouncountable
An open public space in the middle of a town, often with trees, benches, and other nice features.
Like a big open living room shared by the whole town.
We met our friends in the town square to watch the parade.
The square was full of people enjoying the sunny afternoon.
UsageSay in the town square.
Similarplaza, piazza
Note
4
four-sidedadjective
Having the shape of a square, with four equal sides and right-angle corners.
Like a checkerboard tile: the same length on every side.
The room had a square table in the middle.
She folded the cloth into a neat square shape.
5
nouncountable
A flat piece or part shaped like a square.
Like one tile on a checkerboard.
She cut the fabric into a neat square.
Each square of the quilt showed a different animal.
UsageSay a square of cloth or chocolate.
6
nouncountable
One of the small boxes in a grid or on a board.
Like one box on a sheet of graph paper.
Move your piece three squares forward.
Write one letter in each square of the puzzle.
Similarspace, cell, box
7
nouncountable
The result of multiplying a number by itself.
Like the area of a tile when each side is the same number.
The square of five is twenty-five.
To find the area, use the square of the side length.
UsageSay the square of five is twenty-five.
Note
8
verbtransitive
To multiply a number by itself.
Like making a square tile where both sides are the same number.
Square the number five to get twenty-five.
If you square three, you get nine.
UsageSay three squared is nine.
9
face offverbintransitive
To stand ready to fight, with your fists raised.
Like two cats facing off, ready to pounce.
The two men squared up outside the bar, fists raised.
He told them to square up and settle it fairly.
UsageUsually square off, square up, or square up to someone.
Note
10
at 90 degreesadjective
Making a perfect corner, straight and not leaning.
Like the perfect corner where two walls meet.
Make sure the shelf is square with the wall.
The two boards must be square before you nail them.
UsageSay square to the wall. A corner that does not make a right angle is out of square.
Similarperpendicular, true
Oppositecrooked, skewed, askew, slanted
Note
11
broad and angularadjective
Wide for its height, made of straight lines instead of curves.
Like a box: wide and flat rather than tall and round.
He had a square jaw and broad shoulders.
He has a square jaw and a big smile.
UsageSay a square jaw.
Similarstocky, boxy, blocky, angular, chunky
Oppositeslender, rounded
12
resolveverbtransitive or intransitive
To settle a problem, or to make two things fit or agree with each other.
Her story doesn't square with the facts.
His story doesn't square with what his sister told us.
UsageDoesn't square with means doesn't agree with. Square things with someone means settle a problem.
Similarsettle, resolve, fix, reconcile

Less common meanings

13
evenadjective
Level and equal, with neither side ahead.
Like a game where both teams have the same number of points.
After I paid him back, we were square.
The score was square at the end of the first half.
UsageNow we're square means nobody owes anything.
Similareven, quits, level
Note
14
honestadjective
Honest, fair, and good in the way you treat other people.
Like a friend who always tells you the truth.
He's always been square with me about money.
I just want a square deal, nothing more.
UsageSay be square with someone, or a square deal.
Similarhonest, fair, straight, upright, aboveboard
Oppositedishonest, unfair, crooked, shady
Note
15
conventionaladjectiveslangderogatory
Boring and old-fashioned, with no interest in new or popular things.
Like someone who always follows the rules and never tries anything new.
My dad is so square that he still thinks jeans are too casual.
They called him square because he never went to parties.
Similarbourgeois
Oppositehip, cool, trendy
Note
16
noundatedcountable
A person who is boring and not interested in new or popular things.
Like the one person at a party who won't try anything fun.
Don't be such a square. Come dancing with us!
Good looks are important, but good looks don't hold if he's a square.
1949, “R.S.V.P.”, in CourierHere, square means a boring person not interested in new or popular things.
UsagePeople say Don't be such a square!
Similarnormie, straight, bourgeois
Oppositehipster, bohemian
Note
17
directlyadverb
Straight at something, in a direct way.
Like aiming right at the center of a target.
The ball hit him square in the chest.
She looked me square in the eye.
UsageSay look someone square in the eye.
Similardirectly, straight, flush, right, full
Oppositeobliquely
18
full mealnouncolloquialUSabbreviationellipsis
Short for square meal. A full meal that leaves you feeling satisfied.
In the army, at least you get three squares a day.
The shelter gives everyone three squares a day and a warm bed.
19
at peaceadjective
Feeling okay and comfortable with something, with no worries.
Like feeling calm and fine after sorting out a problem.
Are you square with the new plan?
I'm square with how things turned out.
UsageSay I'm square with it, meaning I'm fine with it.
Similarcomfortable, happy, content, fine, okay
Oppositeuneasy, uncomfortable, unhappy
20
make four-sidedverbtransitive
To give something straight sides and square corners.
Like cutting a sheet into a neat box shape with straight sides.
Cut off the uneven edges to square the photo before you frame it.
The carpenter squared the ends of each board with a saw.
Note
21
angle toolnouncountable
A flat tool shaped like an L or T, used to draw or check right angles.
Like a ruler that also helps you make perfect corners.
The carpenter used a square to mark a straight line across the board.
Check the corner with a square to make sure it is exactly right.
Note
22
hash keynounBritish
The # key on a phone keypad, also called hash.
Like the # button you press when a phone menu tells you to.
Enter the code, then press the square to continue.
To hear the message again, press the square key on your phone.
UsageSay press square or press hash.
Similarhash
Note
23
pass sidewaysverbtransitive
To pass the ball sideways to a teammate across the field.
Like sliding a plate sideways to the person next to you instead of forward.
He squared the ball to his teammate in front of goal.
Square it across and let the striker tap it in.
UsageSay square it to a teammate.
Similarpass, slide
Note
24
troop formationnouncountable
A group of soldiers standing in the shape of a square to defend on every side.
Like standing back-to-back in a ring so no one can sneak up behind you.
The soldiers formed a square to hold off the cavalry.
Inside the square, the wounded were kept safe.
Note
25
cricket pitchnouncountable
The central part of a cricket field that holds the playing strips, only one used at a time.
Like the well-kept middle of a field where most of the game happens.
The groundskeeper watered the square before the match.
Players are not allowed to walk across the square.
Note
26
verbtransitive
To move or change something so it lines up with something else or makes a right angle with it.
Square the board against the edge of the table before you cut it.
She squared the papers into a neat pile.
Similaralign, true
27
adjective
In cricket, level with the line in front of the stumps where the batsman stands.
The fielder stood square of the wicket, ready for a cut shot.
The captain put two fielders square on the leg side.
Note
28
nounslangcountable
A cigarette: a small roll of tobacco in paper that people smoke.
He stepped outside to smoke a square before his shift.
She grabbed a pack of squares at the gas station.
Similarcigarette, smoke, cig
Note
29
noun
In astrology, the position of two planets that are 90 degrees apart, a quarter of a circle.
30
noun
In roofing, an amount of roof equal to 100 square feet.
31
noun
The front chest part of a woman's dress, often stitched with designs.
32
nounCanadaUS
A sweet treat cut into squares or rectangles, or one of those pieces.
33
noun
A block of lines in a newspaper used to price ads.
34
nounobsolete
A rule or model that shows the right way.
35
noun
The road that runs along the edges of a town's open space.
36
noun
A string of letters or symbols made of one part written twice in a row, like "papa".
37
noun
In Australia, a measure of house size, ten feet by ten feet.
38
noun
A flat graduation cap with a tassel.
39
nounarchaic
Doing things in the right and fair way.
I have not kept my square.
c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”
40
noun
Being equal or in agreement.
41
noundated
A fight or argument.
42
noun
A big tank where beer is made to ferment.
43
noundialectalMulticultural London English
An upper body with a clear, well-formed shape.
44
adjective
Of the poles on a ship's mast, set straight across and level.
45
adjective
Of an engine, with the piston about as wide as the distance it moves.
46
verb
To turn the poles on a ship's mast straight across.
47
verb
To turn an oar so the blade stands straight up.
48
verb
To draw a square equal in area to a given shape, using only a compass and unmarked ruler.
49
verb
To cover a surface with squares and leave no gaps.
50
verbarchaic
To argue or fight with someone.
51
verb
To check something against a standard, or make it fit one.
52
verb
To be a quarter of the way around the zodiac from another planet, in astrology.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of square apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came through Old French from Latin words meaning 'out' and 'to make square', the second going back to the word for 'four'. It replaced the Old English word for 'four-edged'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 6 facts

Square entered English through Old French. en.wiktionary.org
The ultimate Latin components are ex- and quadro. en.wiktionary.org
Latin ex- means out. en.wiktionary.org
Latin quadro means to make square. en.wiktionary.org
The Latin verb ultimately derives from the word for four. en.wiktionary.org
Square replaced Old English fēowerecge, meaning four-edged. en.wiktionary.org